In order to help physicians provide informational support to young
patients with cancer, 63 adolescent cancer patients and 53 physicians
completed self-administered questionnaires; 30 disease-related information
items were included on the questionnaire. Although physicians and patients
agreed on one-half of the items, they differed significantly on the others.
Physician responses were not significantly related to the physicians' level
of training, suggesting that education programs on this topic should be
required at all levels of medical training. Psychiatrists may have a role
to play in designing these programs.Abstract Teaser