Julie Trudel, BA, MSc, PhD - St

CENTRE DE RECHERCHE DE ST.MARY PRÉSENTE
ST. MARY’S RESEARCH CENTRE PRESENTS
Presentation of study results / Présentation des résultats de l'étude
Perceived communication between breast cancer
patients and healthcare providers in relation to the
patients’ health-related quality of life along the
disease’s trajectory: A longitudinal study
By
Julie Trudel, BA, MSc, PhD
Post-doctoral student, McGill University Health Center
DATE ET HEURE / DATE AND TIME
Jeudi le 20 octobre 12:00 à 13:00
Thursday October 20, 12:00 to 13:00
ENDROIT / LOCATION
Locale 2750 (Pavillon Hayes / Annexe) / room 2750 (Hayes Pavilion, Annex)
Centre hospitalier de St. Mary / St. Mary’s Hospital Center
Un léger dîner sera servi / A light lunch will be served
Bienvenue à tous / Everyone is welcome
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Communication between patients and healthcare providers
is recognized as an important aspect of the quality of life of cancer patients.
Nevertheless, no study has examined whether perceived communication
between healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, technicians in radiology)
and breast cancer patients could be a determining factor in explaining their
quality of life along the disease's trajectory. Objective: The main objective
is to ascertain whether communication between breast cancer patients and
healthcare providers influence the quality of life of these women at
diagnosis, during radiotherapy and at follow-up. Methods: The sample
consisted of 120 French-speaking women with stage I or II breast cancer,
aged 18 years and over (55 years ± 9,5) and who underwent a
lumpectomy. They filled out questionnaires three times: Around the
diagnosis period, during half-way of radiation therapy and between three
and four months after radiation. They completed in 60 minutes, either at the
hospital or at home, a questionnaire pertaining to demographic and medical
data, the MOS SSS, the EORTC QLQ-C30/BR23, and the MCCS scale.
Results: GEE analyses indicate that women's perceptions of their
communication skills towards doctors had a great impact on their healthrelated quality of life. The women had better role and emotional functioning
as well as fewer side effects and symptoms during radiotherapy and at
follow-up when they perceived themselves as competent communicators
towards doctors in oncology (surgeons and radio-oncologists) at diagnosis
and during radiotherapy. Conclusion and implication: The results of the
study underscore the importance for breast cancer patients to be proactive
so that they can feel competent with regards to the seeking of information
and the socio-emotional aspect of the relation between them and their
doctors in order to enhance their health-related quality of life.