The role of patients’ families in treatment decision-making among adult cancer patients in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

There are limited numbers of studies available in Middle Eastern Arabic countries regarding participation of family ‎members in cancer treatment decision-making (TDM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of family members' ‎in TDM among ‎adult Omani cancer ‎patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two main teaching hospitals. All adult Omani patients who were diagnosed with cancer and their nominated family members were invited to ‎participate. A tool developed by Cancer Care Outcomes Research and ‎Surveillance Consortium was used to identify the level of family involvement in TDM. A weighted kappa (k) was significant (p<.001) and showed almost full agreement between the patients' experiences and their preferences ‎(‎k=.98) and between family members' experiences and their preferences ‎(‎k=.96) ‎‎of family involvement in TDM. Binary logistic regression showed significant family-controlled TDM if the patient communicated‎ less with oncologists (OR=9.89; 95% CI: 3.79-25.81); financial dependence of the patient on their families ‎(OR=6.21; 95% CI: 2.19-17.10‎); and advanced stages of cancer at the time of diagnosis ‎(OR=3.10; 95% CI: 1.37-7.03). Oncologists in Oman should be aware of the strong family involvement in TDM to allow a successful cancer treatment.