TY - JOUR ID - 31411 TI - Staged Improvement in Awareness of Disease for Elderly Cancer Patients in Southern China JO - Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention JA - APJCP LA - en SN - 1513-7368 Y1 - 2015 PY - 2015 VL - 16 IS - 15 SP - 6311 EP - 6316 KW - Decision Making KW - cancer KW - Confucian philosophy KW - patient relationships KW - Family KW - disease awareness DO - N2 - Background: In mainland China, awareness of disease of elderly cancer patients largely relies on the patients’families. We developed a staged procedure to improve their awareness of disease. Materials and Methods:Participants were 224 elderly cancer patients from 9 leading hospitals across Southern China. A questionnairewas given to the oncologists in charge of each patient to evaluate the interaction between family and patients,patient awareness of their disease and participation in medical decision-making. After first cycles of treatment,increased information of disease was given to patients with cooperation of the family. Then patient awarenessof their disease and participation in medical decision-making was documented. Results: Among the 224 cancerelderly patients, 26 (11.6%) made decisions by themselves and 125 (55.8%) delegated their rights of decisionmakingto their family. Subordinate family members tended to play a passive role in decision-making significantly.Patients participating more in medical decision-making tended to know more about their disease. However, incontrast to the awareness of disease, patient awareness of violation of medical recommendations was reverselyassociated with their participation in medical decision-making. Improvement in awareness of diagnosis, stagesand prognosis was achieved in about 20% elderly cancer patients. About 5% participated more actively inmedical decision-making. Conclusions: Chinese elderly cancer patient awareness of disease and participationin medical decision-making is limited and relies on their family status. The staged procedure we developed toimprove patient awareness of disease proved effective. UR - https://journal.waocp.org/article_31411.html L1 - https://journal.waocp.org/article_31411_882f2d8fdbca4415bd06edf585b861ee.pdf ER -