Wie zufrieden sind brustkrebspatientinnen mit ihrer behandlung?

PURPOSE: Patient satisfaction is one component of the quality of medical care. The present study aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the needs of women with breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed data from a subgroup of 1132 women with breast cancer and those of 1482 women with other cancers out of a total of 4538 cancer patients of both sexes who had participated in the PASQOC« survey on patient satisfaction. The questionnaire contained 99 items categorised into 15 dimensions. Results were expressed as problem frequencies (PF, i.e. the proportion of problematic responses), the ideal value being 0%. RESULTS: Breast cancer patients had a mean age of 59.9 years and received mainly palliative treatment (46.4%). They were most satisfied with the dimensions nursing staff and physician-patient relationship (PF: 5.1 and 10.6%, respectively) and with additional support in everyday life (PF 4.5%). Dimensions indicating the lowest satisfaction were handling of side effects, care outside the surgery, and co-management and shared decision making with PFs of 41.4, 32.8, and 32.0%, respectively. These percentages were higher than those for women with other cancers (PF: 36.6, 27.1, and 30.0%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients are more demanding and less satisfied with their care than women with other cancers. Physicians should focus their communication on patients' needs and should involve the patient's family and friends more.