Bridging the Gap: Evaluating Discrepancies in Disease Knowledge and Expectations between Patients and Physicians in Hematologic Malignancies

• Published in: Blood 2023-11, Vol.142 (Supplement 1), p.5090-5090
• Main Authors: Riviello-Goya, Santiago, Mora, Analy, Vieyra Santiago, Daniela, Chávez Coronel, Akari Erandi, Rios Olais, Fausto Alfredo, Agreda-Vásquez, Gladys Patricia, Tuna Aguilar, Elena Juventina, Apodaca Chavez, Elia Ixel, Aguayo, Alvaro, Demichelis, Roberta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2023-185342

Background: The management of patients with hematologic malignancies involves a variety of therapeutic options, each with distinct goals and probabilities of cure. Studies have revealed a discordance, exceeding 80%, between patients' and doctors' perceptions about the likelihood of cure, with patients often exhibiting a more optimistic outlook. Furthermore, differences in priorities and expectations between physicians and patients can contribute to this disparity. However, there is limited information on factors associated with increased doctor-patient discrepancy. Methods: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to determine the concordance between patients and their physicians on issues related to their disease knowledge, expectations of cure, and treatment priorities at a tertiary care center in a resource-limited academic center. Participants included patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of acute leukemia (AL), chronic leukemia (CL), lymphoma, or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) currently undergoing active treatment. Data were collected through surveys conducted with both the patients and their attending physicians. In cases where a resident/fellow attended the patient, both the resident and the attending physician in charge of the clinic were interviewed. Concordance of expectations between doctors and patients and correlation with clinical and sociodemographic variables were analyzed. Discrepancy between doctor and patient was considered when the difference in perceived probability of cure exceeded 20%, with the probability stratified every 10% (ranging from 90%). Results: A total of 113 patients were interviewed, comprising 33.6% patients with lymphomas, 30.1% with AL, 20.4% with CL, and 15.9% with MDS (see Table 1). Among the respondents, 57.5% correctly identified the name of their disease, 31.9% had partial knowledge, and 10.6% were unaware. Factors associated with complete knowledge of the disease name included age