Characteristics of uncertainty in advanced pediatric cancer conversations.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To describe the initiation, response, and content of communication about uncertainty in advanced pediatric cancer.

Methods

Qualitative analysis of 35 audio-recorded outpatient consultations between physicians and families of children whose cancer recently progressed. We defined uncertainty as "future-oriented lack of clarity in which answers are unknown to all participants involved in the conversation."

Results

Conversations contained a median of 14 (interquartile range 8.5-19) uncertainty statements related to 6 topics: appropriateness of treatments, acute toxicities and morbidities, prognosis or response to treatment, diagnostic uncertainty, logistical uncertainty, and long-term toxicities. Physicians initiated 63 % of statements (303/489), parents initia

SUBMITTER: Sisk BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8052385 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature