Confrontation with the diagnosis melanoma: Results of a questionnaire study on patients satisfaction with the doctor-patient dialogue [Konfrontation mit der diagnose "melanom": Ergebnisse einer fragebogenstudie zur zufriedenheit der betroffenen mit dem arzt-patient-dialog]

Abstract

Melanoma of the skin has become an increasingly common tumour. Thus, dermatologists are confronted more often with patients whom they have to inform on the diagnosis and whom they have to accompany throughout the course of their disease. By means of a questionnaire survey comprising 47 patients with melanoma, we tried to find out details on the doctor-patient communication during the first visit. Other questions comprised duration of the informal dialogue, type, kind and comprehensibility of information given. There were large differences concerning the duration of the first conversation about the disease, the amount of dismay after being confronted with the diagnosis, with the type of communication, as well as with the devotion of the doctor communicating. In summary, our investigation points to a need to train communicating skills of doctors by means of seminars or other methods. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.