Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients

BMC Cancer

Study Protocol

Christine Reynaert¹  Livia Peternelj²  Aurore Liénard³  Isabelle Merckaert³  Yves Libert³  Darius Razavi³  Isabelle Bragard⁴ 

[1] Université Catholique de Louvain, Faculté de Médecine, Brussels, Belgium;Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’Éducation, Av. F. Roosevelt, 50 (CP 191), 1050, Brussels, Belgium;Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’Éducation, Av. F. Roosevelt, 50 (CP 191), 1050, Brussels, Belgium;Institut Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium;Université de Liège, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’Éducation, Liège, Belgium;

关键词: Uncertainty;    Hope;    Cancer;    Communication skills training;    Physicians;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12885-017-3437-8

 received in 2017-03-23, accepted in 2017-06-19,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAlthough previous studies have reported the efficacy of communication skills training (CST) programs, specific training addressing communication about uncertainty and hope in oncology has not yet been studied. This paper describes the study protocol of a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a CST program aimed at improving physician ability to communicate about uncertainty and hope in encounters with cancer patients.Methods/designPhysician participants will be randomly assigned in groups (n = 3/group) to a 30-h CST program (experimental group) or to a waiting list (control group). The training program will include learner-centered, skills-focused, practice-oriented techniques. Training efficacy is assessed in the context of an encounter with a simulated advanced stage cancer patient at baseline and after the CST for the experimental group, and after four months for the waiting-list group. Efficacy assessments will include communicational, psychological and physiological measures. Group-by-time effects will be analyzed using a generalized estimating equation (GEE). A power analysis indicated that a sample size of 60 (30 experimental and 30 control) participants will be sufficient to detect effects.DiscussionThe current study will aid in the development of effective CST programs to improve physician ability to communicate about uncertainty and hope in encounters with cancer patients.Trial registrationUS Clinical Trials Register NCT02836197.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017