Abstract
Breaking bad news is considered one of a physician's most difficult duties. Discomfort and uncertainty associated with breaking bad news, along with a lack of proper training, may lead physicians to emotionally disengage from patients.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the patients' beliefs of bad news and their perception and attitude towards breaking bad news. A cross sectional community based survey was conducted in Riyadh city during the month of April, 2009. A representative sample was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. A validated self administrative questionnaire in Arabic language was designed and used for data collection. Chi Square test was used to find the association between two qualitative variables. P-Value was set to be < 0.05 throughout the study.
The study included 1086 participants. Half of the samples were male and 46% of them were between 30-39 years old. Almost 75% of them defined bad news as related to the diseases that are highly fatal. Only 50% of the participants had a satisfactory experience in the method of breaking bad news. Around 81% of participants insist on being informed about any news related to their health. Educational level seems to be one of the influencing factors (p< 0.001). Most of the participants (71.1%) want detailed information about the disease. Most of the patients (i.e. 88.2%) appreciates more those who tell them the truth.
The study gave an overview of Saudi Citizens' perceptions towards breaking bad news. In general, participants had a good understanding of the situation and respect honesty. Medical professionals are urged to learn more about the importance and the techniques of breaking bad news to gain patient's satisfaction and build sound doctor-patient relationships.