Breast cancer and problems with medical interactions: Relationships with traumatic stress, emotional self-efficacy, and social support

This investigation examined relationships between breast cancer patients' psychosocial characteristics (impact of the illness, traumatic stress symptoms, emotional self-efficacy, and social support) and problems they perceived in their medical interactions and their satisfaction with their physicians. Participants were 352 women enrolled in a multicenter trial of the effects of group therapy for women with recently diagnosed primary breast cancer. The findings reported here are from a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data gathered prior to randomization. Problems interacting with physicians and nurses were associated with greater levels of cancer-related traumatic stress (p<0.01), less emotional self-efficacy for cancer (p<0.05), less satisfaction with informational support from family, friends, and spouse, and a tendency to perceive those sources of support as more aversive (p<0.05). Women who were less satisfied with emotional support from their family, friends and spouse were less likely to feel satisfied with their physicians (p<0.05). These patient characteristics identify women with primary breast cancer who are likely to experience difficulty in their interactions with nurses and physicians and to be less satisfied with their physicians. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.