Sustaining hope when communicating with terminally ill patients and their families: a systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review was to examine studies that have investigated sustaining hope during prognostic and end-of-life issues discussions with terminally ill patients and their families. A comprehensive search of databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and handsearching, from 1985 to June 2006, identified 27 studies. This review suggests that the issues surrounding hope in this context are complex.

Truth-telling in discussing prognosis in advanced life-limiting illnesses: a systematic review.

Many health professionals (HPs) express discomfort at having to broach the topic of prognosis, including limited life expectancy, and may withhold information or not disclose prognosis. A systematic review was conducted of 46 studies relating to truth-telling in discussing prognosis with patients with progressive, advanced life-limiting illnesses and their caregivers. Relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by searching computerized databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials) up to November 2004, with handsearching of studies, as well as inclusion of studies satisfying selection criteria reported in 2005 by the authors.

'It's going to shorten your life': framing of oncologist-patient communication about prognosis.

In this qualitative study, we used grounded theory techniques to analyze transcripts of 29 first-time encounters between oncologists and patients referred to them with previously diagnosed, incurable cancer. We found that 23 (79%) of the transcripts included 166 examples of prognostic talk. The language used ranged from general to personal, with 25% of statements mentioning no patients (e.

Discrepant perceptions about end-of-life communication: a systematic review.

Little research has compared the perceptions of health professionals (HPs), patients, and caregivers about the communication of prognostic information. The objectives of this literature review were to determine 1) patient and caregiver perceptions of levels of information received about prognosis and end-of-life (EoL) issues regarding a life-limiting illness; 2) patient perceptions of and factors related to their understanding and awareness of prognosis; 3) HPs' perceptions of patients' wishes about disclosure of prognosis and factors related to their decision whether to disclose; and 4) concordance between HPs and patients/caregivers regarding the information given by HPs about prognostic and EoL issues. Relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by searching computerized databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials [Central]) up to November 2004.

A systematic review of prognostic/end-of-life communication with adults in the advanced stages of a life-limiting illness: patient/caregiver preferences for the content, style, and timing of information.

Evidence-based recommendations concerning how to discuss dying, life expectancy, and likely future symptoms with patients with a limited life expectancy and their families are lacking. The aim of this systematic review was to review studies regarding prognostic/end-of-life communication with adult patients in the advanced stages of a life-limiting illness and their caregivers. Relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified by searching computerized databases up to November 2004.

Pushing up daisies: implicit and explicit language in oncologist-patient communication about death.

Goals Of Work: Although there are guidelines regarding how conversations with patients about prognosis in life-limiting illness should occur, there are little data about what doctors actually say. This study was designed to qualitatively analyze the language that oncologists and cancer patients use when talking about death.

Subjects And Methods: We recruited 29 adults who had incurable forms of cancer, were scheduled for a first-time visit with one of six oncologists affiliated with a teaching hospital in Australia, and consented to having their visit audiotaped and transcribed.

Communicating with realism and hope: incurable cancer patients' views on the disclosure of prognosis.

Purpose: To identify preferences for the process of prognostic discussion among patients with incurable metastatic cancer and variables associated with those preferences.

Patients And Methods: One hundred twenty-six (58%) of 218 patients invited onto the study participated. Eligible patients were the consecutive metastatic cancer patients of 30 oncologists, who were diagnosed within 6 weeks to 6 months before recruitment, over 18 years of age, and without known mental illness.

Cancer patient preferences for communication of prognosis in the metastatic setting.

Purpose: To identify preferences for and predictors of prognostic information among patients with incurable metastatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: One hundred twenty-six metastatic cancer patients seeing 30 oncologists at 12 outpatient clinics in New South Wales, Australia, participated in the study. Patients were diagnosed with incurable metastatic disease within 6 weeks to 6 months of recruitment.