Analysis of diagnosis announcements in Abidjan pediatric oncology unit 2 years after introduction of the African Pediatric Cancer Announcement Guideline

Abstract

IntroductionAnnouncing the diagnosis allows the therapeutic alliance between physicians and patients to be sealed and it prevents abandonment of treatment. To compensate for the deficit in information received by the families, the Franco-African Group of Pediatric Oncology (FAGPO) has published an “African Pediatric Cancer Announcement Guide” for the group's pediatric oncology units. ObjectiveTo analyze the announcements made to parents and children 2 years after the provision of this guide. MethodsCross-sectional survey conducted from March to July 2016. In total, 69 parents of children followed up in the pediatric oncology unit of Abidjan were interviewed regarding the characteristics of the announcement that was made to them and the information given to the sick child. ResultsOf all the accompanying individuals, 91% reported having benefited from the announcement made with empathy, mainly by a physician. In approximately one quarter of the cases the information had been given to a third party. The main barriers to information were: the negative experiences of parents, the medical terminology, and communication problems. The sick child was rarely informed. DiscussionThe information given was in accordance, in content and form, with the data from Western and African literature. The lack of information given to the child has a dual explanation: the primacy of the community over the individual advocated by African culture and the non-integration of the rights of children in the current code of ethics. ConclusionThe information provided could be improved by practical training of physicians in the technique of breaking bad news to patients and their families and the use of a code of ethics in accordance with the principle of autonomy.