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. 2024 Jul 6:5:100319.
doi: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2024.100319. eCollection 2024 Dec 15.

Clinician-patient communication about cancer treatment misinformation: The Misinformation Response Model

M Devyn Mullis  1 , Carla L Fisher  1 , Skyler B Johnson  2 , Tianshi Liu  3 , Tithi B Amin  1 , Sherise Rogers  3 , Kennan DeGruccio  1 , Carma L Bylund  1
Affiliations

Clinician-patient communication about cancer treatment misinformation: The Misinformation Response Model

M Devyn Mullis et al. PEC Innov. .

Abstract

Objective: Cancer treatment misinformation (CTM) is pervasive and impacts patient health outcomes. Cancer clinicians play an essential role in addressing CTM. We previously identified four self-reported responses that characterize the communication process clinicians engage in to address CTM. Clinicians 1) work to understand the misinformation; 2) correct the misinformation through education; 3) advise about future online searches; and 4) preserve the clinician-patient relationship. We sought to confirm and expand on the model we developed by observing cancer clinicians' communication while addressing CTM with a standardized patient (SP).

Methods: 17 cancer clinicians were audio recorded in a SP encounter, in which a breast cancer SP asked three questions based on CTM. We thematically analyzed transcriptions of the recordings.

Results: Clinicians used four responses with associated strategies and skills to address CTM in a standardized clinical encounter, confirming the previously developed model. The four responses were: (1) work to understand the misinformation; (2) correct the misinformation through education; (3) advise about future online searches; and (4) preserve the clinician-patient relationship. This observational approach allowed us to refine strategies within each response and identify communication skills clinicians enact to address CTM.

Conclusion: These findings provide a strong foundation for the Misinformation Response Model for cancer clinicians. Future research should examine which components of the model are most effective in improving patient outcomes.

Innovation: This is the first study observing clinicians' communication through simulated practice with SPs about CTM.

Keywords: Cancer treatment misinformation; Patient education; Physician-patient communication.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Standardized patient scenario sent to participating clinicians.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Standardized patient script.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Misinformation Response Model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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