Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients
Abstract Background Although 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 tri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-07-01
|
| Series: | BMC Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12885-017-3437-8 |
| _version_ | 1819080416622018560 |
|---|---|
| author | Yves Libert Livia Peternelj Isabelle Bragard Aurore Liénard Isabelle Merckaert Christine Reynaert Darius Razavi |
| author_facet | Yves Libert Livia Peternelj Isabelle Bragard Aurore Liénard Isabelle Merckaert Christine Reynaert Darius Razavi |
| author_sort | Yves Libert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Although 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/design Physician 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. Discussion The 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 registration US Clinical Trials Register NCT02836197 . |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:44:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf4d4f8bc84241b595b223ea3ceb00f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2407 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T19:44:32Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf4d4f8bc84241b595b223ea3ceb00f82022-12-21T18:52:22ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072017-07-011711710.1186/s12885-017-3437-8Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patientsYves Libert0Livia Peternelj1Isabelle Bragard2Aurore Liénard3Isabelle Merckaert4Christine Reynaert5Darius Razavi6Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationUniversité Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationUniversité de Liège, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationUniversité Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationUniversité Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationUniversité Catholique de Louvain, Faculté de MédecineUniversité Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l’ÉducationAbstract Background Although 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/design Physician 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. Discussion The 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 registration US Clinical Trials Register NCT02836197 .http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12885-017-3437-8UncertaintyHopeCancerCommunication skills trainingPhysicians |
| spellingShingle | Yves Libert Livia Peternelj Isabelle Bragard Aurore Liénard Isabelle Merckaert Christine Reynaert Darius Razavi 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 Uncertainty Hope Cancer Communication skills training Physicians |
| title | Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| title_full | Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| title_fullStr | Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| title_short | Communication about uncertainty and hope: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| title_sort | communication about uncertainty and hope a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program for physicians caring for cancer patients |
| topic | Uncertainty Hope Cancer Communication skills training Physicians |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12885-017-3437-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yveslibert communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT liviapeternelj communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT isabellebragard communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT aurorelienard communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT isabellemerckaert communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT christinereynaert communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients AT dariusrazavi communicationaboutuncertaintyandhopearandomizedcontrolledtrialassessingtheefficacyofacommunicationskillstrainingprogramforphysicianscaringforcancerpatients |