Completed Research Project
Radiation therapy information for breast cancer patients: Appropriate timing, sources and content
Investigators: Halkett G, Kristjanson L, Lobb EA, Spry N
Funding: Curtin University, Early Career Research Grant, ($12,000)
Administering institution: Curtin University
Radiation therapy is routinely used in the management of cancer patients. It is recommended that 48 ± 6 per cent of all breast cancer patients should be considered for wide local excisions plus radiation therapy. However, in Australia the uptake of radiation therapy varies and some patients may also withdraw from treatment. Dr Halkett’s PhD showed that some breast cancer patients did not feel adequately informed about radiation therapy and felt that the timing of information provision could be improved to better meet their needs. The uptake of radiation therapy and patient satisfaction is therefore likely to be improved if patients are adequately informed about radiation therapy before they need to make treatment decisions. Although previous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of information provision in radiation therapy, they have not adequately evaluated the timing of information provision. This study aims to (1) determine the information needs of breast cancer patients, (2) prioritise these information needs, preferred information sources and preferences for sequencing of different types of information, (3) develop an educational intervention that meets these information needs at different time periods during their radiation therapy experience, and (4) evaluate the impact of the intervention on patient outcomes using a randomised controlled trial. To date, qualitative interviews have been conducted with 15 health professionals and 34 patients to determine patients’ radiation therapy information needs at different periods during their breast cancer experience. These interviews confirmed that patients’ radiation therapy information needs changed during their treatment and highlighted a number of changes that could be made to improve the information that is currently provided.
Questionnaires were then pilot tested with 30 patients using a test-retest design. The questionnaires are currently being completed by patients at four (4) time points during their treatment: (1) after seeing their radiation oncologist, (2) after their planning appointment, (3) during their first week of treatment and (4) after treatment completion. The results of this study will be used to develop an intervention to better meet patients’ communication and information needs.
