Communication Needs of Cancer Patients and/or Caregivers: A Critical Literature Review

Objective Effective communication for cancer patients and/or caregivers can meet information needs, reduce caregiver burden, improve physical and mental health, and promote intimacy. The aim of this review was to identify the communication needs of cancer patients and/or caregivers and to explore their specific communication needs to guide the development of future communication interventions. Methods Chinese and English databases were systematically searched from January 2010 to October 2019, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, and the China Academic Journal Full-text Database. The key search terms used were “cancer” or “carcinoma” or “oncology” AND “patient” or “caregiver” or “carer” AND “communication” or “discussion” or “talk” AND “need” or “needs” or “desire.”. Results A total of 26 articles was identified and included in this review. The findings revealed the needs of cancer patients and/or caregivers in terms of communication target, content, style, timing, and preferences. Communication targets included health professionals, peers, caregivers, and patients. Communication content included illness-related, emotional support, daily life, sexuality, death, and a way to communicate with health professionals. Communication style needed to be expressed through such things as language and communication atmosphere. Communication timing mainly referred to before treatment and approaching death. Communication preferences were related to factors such as demographics and ethnic origin. Conclusions Cancer patients and/or caregivers have different communication needs in terms of target, content, style, and communication timing. A better understanding of the unique communication needs of patients and/or caregivers will offer health professionals detailed information on designing appropriate interventions to support cancer patients and caregivers.

-Needed to give them information step by step;

When
-8 patients wanted prognosis information when conditions were 'worse' and the patient was close to death; -Emphasized that oncologists must ask patients' permission before giving them information; -Based on their emotional state and 'handle' ability to provide prognostic information to them;

Preferences -Compared with other immigrant patients in
How -17 relatives expressed a preference for oncologists to openly provide all details about patients' prognoses, among them, compared with other countries, Anglo Australians were more willing to fully disclose; -30 relatives expressed a desire for nondisclosure of prognosis; -Needed positive information to keep patients hopeful; -Needed to provide information step by step; -Needed to consult with doctors alone, without the patient present;

When
-7 relatives wanted prognosis information when conditions became 'worse' and patients were close to death; -14 relatives emphasized that oncologists must ask patients' permission before giving Australia, Chinese patients showed the strongest communication preferences in terms of the doctors providing detailed and positive information, as well as the patients' consent before providing information; -Anglo Australian patients did not want health professionals to disclose their prognosis and wished to be informed when they were closed to death in comparison to other ethnic patient groups.

Who
-Female provider (37) -Preferred their medical oncologist to deliver the information (50) -To communicate with health professionals of the same cultural background (48) -Consider nurses as the preferred source of communication information (30) -To communicate with health professionals, particularly nurses (46) What -Sexual health (37) -About the implications of TFGT for their family, the latest drugs for ovarian cancer and the side effects of treatment (50) -Evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate health information (48) -Detailed and specific information about diet, exercise and weight management (30) -emotional support and compassionate care (46) How -Desired verbal information in the first instance; to give them information step by step (50) -To initiate and regularly discuss treatment with them (48) -To mention information repeatedly such as exercise diet throughout treatment; preferred group education to communicate (30) -Face-to-face or telephone (49) When -Needed information at the beginning of early treatment (30) TFGT: treatment-focused genetic testing *The number in brackets indicates the related reference literature number cited in the manuscript.  (29); easy-to-understand words (34,49,52); avoid medical jargon (43); mother tongue (51) -Type of communication: continuous, consistent, and clear (31); clear, truthful, and earlier prognosis (32); accurate, whether the results were good or bad (44) -Delivery manner: without the patient present (31,33); step by step (33,50); actively and regularly communicate (48); repeatedly mention (30) -Personalised communication (35,40,47) -Different needs at different stages of cancer (54,34) -Communication channels: face-to-face or telephone(49); social media, Internet (42) *The number in brackets indicates the related reference literature number cited in the manuscript.