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Cancer: Supporting Patients and Families


For each of the questions or incomplete statements below, select ONE answer.
1. Studies indicate that patient satisfaction with the physician results mostly from the outcome of the medical treatment given and not from the physician's style of communication.
A. True
B. False


2. If the patient has difficulty communicating, either because of a hearing disability or because English is not his or her first language, the physician should offer the services of a professional interpreter.
A. True
B. False


3. From the patient's perspective, the most crucial aspect of the interaction between physician and the patient is the perception that the physician cares.
A. True
B. False


4. Studies have indicated that patients feel that their physicians should not initiate discussion regarding end-of-life care and advance directives.
A. True
B. False


5. The family physician should remind the patient with cancer that depression is not uncommon and may be caused by some of the medications the patient may be taking.
A. True
B. False


6. Studies have shown that persons who are caring for someone with cancer are more likely to be depressed and to have anxiety than age-matched persons who do not care for someone with a terminal or chronic illness.
A. True
B. False


7. Persons who are diagnosed with cancer commonly express which of the following reactions:
A. Fear of pain/death and anger/sense of injustice.
B. Sense of betrayal by body.
C. Feeling of loss of control/autonomy.
D. Despair/sense of doom.
E. All of the above.


8. Topics to include in advance directives include all of the following except:
A. Intubation.
B. Disclosure of confidential information to surviving.
C. Life support.
D. Artificial nutrition/hydration.
E. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.


9. Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer found the following aspects of communication with their family physicians most helpful:
A. Clear and positive discussion of the diagnosis and possible treatment options.
B. Assurance that the patient was not alone in his or her fight with cancer.
C. An acknowledgement and respect of individual preferences and differences.
D. A conveyance of sincerity, compassion and hope.
E. All of the above


10. Helpful techniques for improving chances that the patient will understand discussions about the diagnosis and treatment of cancer include all of the following except:
A. Telling the patient "I'm only going to say this once..." to compel him or her to pay attention.
B. Stopping periodically to ask if what is being said makes sense.
C. Asking the patient to paraphrase what has just been said.
D. Asking open-ended questions, such as, "What is your impression of the meaning of what I've told you so far?"
E. Suggesting that the patient bring a notebook to keep track of discussions, tests and results, possible treatments and information sources.




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