Is Humor Really That Important to Cancer Patients? Survey Results from Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Abstract

Health care providers in the oncology setting and elsewhere all strive to maximize patient experience and improve satisfaction. However, published literature suggests that humor could be used more frequently to enhance our relationships with patients. Therefore, we surveyed cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy regarding their opinions about the use of humor in their care. An ethics-approved 35-item survey evaluating patient experience among cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy was developed by an interdisciplinary team of health care providers (HCPs) working within the Radiation Medicine program. It was an anonymous, voluntary, paper-based survey for self-completion requiring approximately 10 minutes to complete. It evaluated a variety of domains with respect to the quality of care they received, including their relationships with health care team members. Specifically, we evaluated the importance of humor as perceived by our patients. A total of 106 patients, 48 women and 56 men, completed the survey, representing approximately 35% of patients undergoing radiation at our center on any given day. The median age was 67 years and the most common diagnoses were breast, prostate, and lung cancer (74%), with 90% being diagnosed with their cancer within the last year. The vast majority (87%) stated that it was “Somewhat Important” or “Very Important” for HCPs to use appropriate humor during their visits to the cancer center, and 59% used humor “Frequently” or “Always” when dealing with their individual cancers. Approximately 5% of respondents listed “Sense of Humor” as being the most important quality they looked for in their interactions with their HCPs. Most respondents (79%) stated that humor decreased anxiety, and laughing was considered “Somewhat Important” or “Very Important” by 85% of the respondents. Many (71%) also felt it was “Somewhat Important” or “Very Important” to use humor to remember information shared by their HCPs. This compares to approximately 61% who thought HCPs telling jokes was of similar importance. Cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy view humor as an important tool for coping and dealing with their disease, as well as enhancing their experience. This clearly suggests that oncology HCPs should routinely consider incorporating the use of appropriate humor into the care they provide.