Original Article

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Fostering coping and nurturing hope when discussing the future with terminally ill cancer patients and their caregivers†

  1. Josephine M. Clayton M.B. B.S.(Hons)1,2,‡,*,
  2. Phyllis N. Butow M.Clin. Psych., M.P.H., Ph.D.1,3,
  3. Robert M. Arnold M.D.4,5,
  4. Martin H. N. Tattersall M.B. B.Chir., M.Sc., M.D.1,6

Article first published online: 23 MAR 2005

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.21011

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Volume 103, Issue 9, pages 1965–1975, 1 May 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Clayton, J. M., Butow, P. N., Arnold, R. M. and Tattersall, M. H. N. (2005), Fostering coping and nurturing hope when discussing the future with terminally ill cancer patients and their caregivers. Cancer, 103: 1965–1975. doi: 10.1002/cncr.21011

Author Information

  1. 1

    Medical Psychology Research Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  2. 2

    Sacred Heart Palliative Care Service, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  3. 3

    School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  4. 4

    Institute for Doctor-Patient Communication, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  5. 5

    Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  6. 6

    Department of Cancer Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  1. ‡

    Fax: (011) 61 2 9036 5292

*Medical Psychology Research Unit, Blackburn Building DO6, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

  1. †

    See also pages 1957–64, this issue.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 18 APR 2005
  2. Article first published online: 23 MAR 2005
  3. Manuscript Revised: 31 DEC 2004
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 31 DEC 2004
  5. Manuscript Received: 1 SEP 2004

Funded by

  • National Health and Medical Research Council on a Medical Postgraduate Research Scholarship

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (584K)

REFERENCES

  • 1
    Folkman S, Greer S. Promoting psychological well-being in the face of serious illness: when theory, research and practice inform each other. Psychooncology. 2000; 9: 11–9.
  • 2
    Weisman A. Coping with cancer. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1979.
  • 3
    van der Molen B. Relating information needs to the cancer experience: 1. Information as a key coping strategy. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 1999; 8: 238–244.
    Direct Link:
  • 4
    Dunkel-Schetter C, Feinstein LG, Taylor SE, Falke RL. Patterns of coping with cancer. Health Psychol. 1992; 11: 79–87.
  • 5
    Leydon GM, Boulton M, Moynihan C, et al. Cancer patients' information needs and information seeking behaviour: in depth interview study. BMJ. 2000; 320: 909–913.
  • 6
    Hegarty M. The dynamic of hope: hoping in the face of death. Prog Palliat Care. 2001; 9: 42–46.
  • 7
    Back AL, Arnold RM, Quill TE. Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Ann Intern Med. 2003; 138: 439–443.
  • 8
    Johnston G, Abraham C. Managing awareness: negotiating and coping with a terminal prognosis. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2000; 6: 485–494.
  • 9
    Kodish E, Post SG. Oncology and hope. J Clin Oncol. 1995; 13: 1817–1822.
  • 10
    Rustoen T. Hope and quality of life, two central issues for cancer patients: a theoretical analysis. Cancer Nurs. 1995; 8: 355–361.
  • 11
    Fromm E. The revolution of hope: towards a humanized technology. New York: Harper & Row, 1968.
  • 12
    Dufault K, Martocchio BC. Symposium on compassionate care and the dying experience. Hope: its spheres and dimensions. Nurs Clin North Am. 1985; 20: 379–391.
  • 13
    Nuland SB. How we die: reflections on life's final chapter. New York: Knopf, 1994.
  • 14
    Oken D. What to tell cancer patients: a study of medical attitudes. JAMA. 1961; 175: 1120–1128.
  • 15
    Benzein E, Norberg A, Saveman BI. The meaning of the lived experience of hope in patients with cancer in palliative home care. Palliat Med. 2001; 15: 117–126.
  • 16
    Maddocks I. Palliative care in the 21st century. Med J Aust. 2003; 179(6S): S4–S5.
  • 17
    Currow D. Australia: state of palliative service provision. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2002; 24: 170–172.
  • 18
    Rice PL, Ezzy D. Qualitative research methods: a health focus. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Oxford University Press, 1999.
  • 19
    Pope C, Mays N. Qualitative research in health care. 2nd edition. London: BMJ Books, 2000.
  • 20
    Curtis JR, Wenrich MD, Carline JD, Shannon SE, Ambrozy DM, Ramsey PG. Understanding physicians' skills at providing end-of-life care perspectives of patients, families, and health care workers. J Gen Intern Med. 2001; 16: 41–49.
    Direct Link:
  • 21
    Steinhauser KE, Clipp EC, McNeilly M, Christakis NA, McIntyre LM, Tulsky JA. In search of a good death: observations of patients, families, and providers. Ann Intern Med. 2000; 132: 825–832.
  • 22
    Steinhauser KE, Christakis NA, Clipp EC, McNeilly M, McIntyre L, Tulsky JA. Factors considered important at the end of life by patients, family, physicians, and other care providers. JAMA. 2000; 284: 2476–2482.
  • 23
    Petticrew M, Bell R, Hunter D. Influence of psychological coping on survival and recurrence in people with cancer: systematic review. BMJ. 2002; 325: 1066–1076.
  • 24
    Chochinov HM, Hack T, McClement S, Kristjanson L, Harlos M. Dignity in the terminally ill: a developing empirical model. Soc Sci Med. 2002; 54: 433–443.
  • 25
    McGrath P. The burden of the ‘RA RA’ positive: survivors' and hospice patients' reflections on maintaining a positive attitude to serious illness. Support Care Cancer. 2004; 12: 25–33.
  • 26
    Byrne A, Ellershaw J, Holcombe C, Salmon P. Patients' experience of cancer: evidence of the role of ‘fighting’ in collusive clinical communication. Patient Educ Couns. 2002; 48: 15–21.
  • 27
    Von Roenn JH, von Gunten CF. Setting goals to maintain hope. J Clin Oncol. 2003; 21: 570–574.
  • 28
    Owen DC. Nurses' perspectives on the meaning of hope in patients with cancer: a qualitative study. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1989; 16: 75–79.
  • 29
    Begley A, Blackwood B. Truth-telling versus hope: a dilemma in practice. Int J Nurs Pract. 2000; 6: 26–31.
    Direct Link:
  • 30
    Porter WG. Truth-telling and hope. The dilemma of modern medicine. N C Med J. 1999; 60: 142–148.
  • 31
    Kutner JS, Steiner JF, Corbett KK, Jahnigen DW, Barton PL. Information needs in terminal illness. Soc Sci Med. 1999; 48: 1341–1352.
  • 32
    Penson J. A hope is not a promise: fostering hope within palliative care. Int J Palliat Nurs. 2000; 6: 94–98.
  • 33
    Benzein E, Saveman BI. Nurses' perception of hope in patients with cancer: a palliative care perspective. Cancer Nurs. 1998; 21: 10–16.
  • 34
    Cutcliffe JR. How do nurses inspire and instil hope in terminally ill HIV patients? J Adv Nurs. 1995; 22: 888–895.
    Direct Link:
  • 35
    Flemming K. The imponderable: a search for meaning. The meaning of hope to palliative care cancer patients. Int J Palliat Nurs. 1997; 3: 14–18.
  • 36
    Sardell AN, Trierweiler SJ. Disclosing the cancer diagnosis. Procedures that influence patient hopefulness. Cancer. 1993; 72: 3355–3365.
    Direct Link:
View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (584K)