I am looking for information concerning the effect of publications regarding 5-year survival of diseases, like cancer, on the feelings of the patient. As the statistics are frequently published, and available on many websites with information on serious diseases, I was wondering whether psychological research was done as to the impact these statistics have on patients, dealing with diseases. I have tried to find such research myself, but the overwhelming majority of research I have found deals solely with diagnostic importance of these analysis. I will be most thankful for any advice and references on this issue.
Interesting! This needs huge survey to give conclusive results because patients largely vary in their scientific background and their way of using internet. Also the bad impact could be variably counteracted by family and support groups. These factors among many others requires such study to include thousands of patients from different ages, backgrounds, perhaps countries to be conclusive. That could be one reason you didn't find studies.
In practice, patients read these statistics and need a lot of reassurance and support because of it. Doctors by default are used to belittle what is "written" on the internet or explain to the patient issues like small populations of the study and different prognostic parameters (according to patients background).
Thank You Iman Hassan Ibrahim for this answer, I feared that such research would require, as you mentioned, a huge survey. It is most interesting, what you have written about the practical aspect of these statistics, and this actually is my main concern: that knowledge, derived from these can have a harmful effect on the patient that needs counteraction.
Having concentrated on cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, I am sure it has an impact! Howevver, I am not aware of any publication. I agree that a study in a well defined group of patients might be required.
Best
WD
A high survival rate cultivate hope among patients with specific disease like cancer. If you tell a person that the five year survival is 90%, his hope of being one of the 90 who survived will be high and justifiable. If someone knows that the survival of lung cancer is very low, in most instances they will surrender to their fate
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