NCT05667571

Symptom Communication in Advanced Cancer

Completed Last updated 28 December 2022

What this trial tests

trial in Communication in 52 participants. Completed in 2 September 2020.

Timeline

9 January 2019

Primary endpoint
2 September 2020

2 September 2020

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	National Taiwan University Hospital
Status	Completed
Study type	OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment	52
Start date	9 January 2019
Primary completion	2 September 2020
Estimated completion	2 September 2020
Sites	1 location across Taiwan

Conditions studied

• Communication — all drugs for Communication →
• Cancer — all drugs for Cancer →
• Symptom, Behavioral — all drugs for Symptom, Behavioral →

Sponsor

National Taiwan University Hospital

Who can join

20 and older, any sex, with Communication or Cancer. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Background Improving patient-provider communication is a fundamental and cost-effective method to advance patient outcomes, including symptom management which is often the primary goal of care for patients with advanced cancer. Unfortunately, some studies revealed the poor quality of symptom communication among cancer patients and healthcare providers. While these evidences suggest important gaps in communication about symptoms with some of the most vulnerable patients, little is known about the patterns and associating factors of symptom communication.

Purpose and Specific Aims The proposed 3-year pilot project aims to provide an enrich and systematic description of symptom communication by validating a newly developed typology of interaction patterns of symptom communication (TIPSC) between patients with advanced cancer, their caregivers, and healthcare providers and explore factors related to each interaction pattern. The specific aims are to: (1) validate TIPSC in Taiwanese advanced cancer population, (2) explore patients' /caregivers' experience and thoughts of symptom discussion in regard to their interaction patterns and symptom management, and (3) examine relationships between interaction patterns and (a) demographic factors, (b) symptom severity, (c) congruence in symptom assessment between patients/caregivers and providers, (d) patients'/caregivers' perceived ability to communicate with providers, and (e) patient/caregiver satisfaction.

Sampling This pilot study plans to recruit about 50 patient/caregiver - oncologist dyads. The recruitment process contains three stages. First, medical oncologists who are currently in clinical practice at participating institutions and care for patients with solid tumors will be approached. Second, participating oncologists' patients will be recruited if they are: (1) currently a patient of a participating oncologist, (2) diagnosed with stage III or IV solid cancer, (3) aged 20 years or older, (4) able to tolerate an interview that will last approximately 30 minus, and (5) able to speak Chinese or Taiwanese. Finally, if applicable, adult caregivers who intent to join selected out-patient-department (OPD) visit with the patients will also be recruited.

Research Design This is a mixed-methods study with a two-phase exploratory sequential design. The first phase is a qualitative descriptive study in which the investigators will record patient/caregiver-oncologist OPD visits and conduct patient/caregiver interviews to address aim 1 and 2. Discourse and conversation analysis will be used to analyze the recorded visits and content analysis will be used to analyze the interviews. The second phase is a correlational study in which the investigators use questionnaires to measure variables and examine their relationship with interaction patterns (aim 3). Descriptive statistics, binomial logistic regression, and linear regression will be used to analyze quantitative data.

Expecting Results This is a pioneering study addressing the patterns and associating factors of symptom communication in Taiwanese patients with advanced cancer. The findings will systematically map out the patient/caregiver-provider symptom communication and identify relationships between communication patterns and meaningful indicators. This proposed study is a critical step to understand patient/caregiver-provider communication regarding symptoms in order to pinpoint symptom management and communication barriers and design proper interventions in Taiwan.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.