Serious illness disclosure-preference of Bahraini patients

Abstract EN

Objectives: To describe the patterns of preference of Bahraini adults attending Shaikh Sabah Health Center regarding disclosure of information of cancer diagnosis.

Methods: A random sample survey of 200 persons attending Shaikh Sabah AL-Salem health center interviewed in August 2000.

Results: Eighty-four percent (84%) preferred the diagnosis of cancer to be disclosed to them.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) preferred to share with their doctors the treatment decisions.

Eighty percent (80%) preferred to discuss with their doctors issues other than their sickness, such as work, family or school.

Conclusion and Recommendations: The results of this study conclude that the majority of patients want to know the fact of the illness including any bad news.

And the majority preferred to participate in the management plan of the disease.

Given the results of this study, it is reasonable to conclude that improvements can be made in the ways the diagnostic disclosure is handled.