Factors related to satisfaction with treatment decisions of breast cancer patients

Abstract

Effects of different decision-making preferences of breast cancer patients on the level of doctor-patient communication, trust in surgeons, and satisfaction with treatment decisions were investigated. Female participants (n = 86) who had undergone the first surgical treatment for breast cancer over six months ago were administered a questionnaire inquiring about the above variables. Factor analysis of autonomy identified two factors, Decision- Making and Information Seeking. Participants were classified into high and low Decision-Making groups based on their Decision-Making scores. Results of a multiple regression analysis of the low Decision-Making group indicated that a higher level of doctor-patient communication increased the trust in surgeons, which in turn increased satisfaction. Results of a multiple regression analysis of the high Decision-Making group indicated multicollinearity between the level of doctor-patient communication and the trust in surgeons. Further analysis excluded the level of doctor-patient communication. These results indicated that trust in surgeons increased the level of satisfaction. There was also a significant correlation between the level of doctor-patient communication and satisfaction. These results suggest that high and low Decision-Making groups differed in terms of the relationships among the three variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)