Cancer disclosure in South East of Iran: attitude of nurses and patient’s family members

Introduction: Cancer diagnosis might be associated with debilitating depression and anxiety. Although, the duty of disclosure is by physicians, nurses have an important role in the process of disclosure of cancer news, and providing support and information following disclosure. Families play an important role including mental support and try to protect them from unpleasant information. Aim: To assess nurses and patients’ family members’ attitude towards disclosure of cancer truths and to evaluate the difference between their attitudes. Materials: A self-designed questionnaire was used to assess attitudes of ۱۲۰ nurses and ۱۲۴ patients’ family members towards disclosure of cancer truths, in three hospitals supervised by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Results: Attitude of nurses (۳.۳۰±۰.۳۷) and patient's family (۳.۲۳±۰.۳۰) was moderately positive. Nurses, who had no history of cancer in their family and experienced god existence in their daily life had more positive attitude towards disclosure of cancer. Siblings and spouse had more positive attitude towards disclosure of cancer rather than children and parents of the patients. Nurses and family members believed that having education in truth telling is important. Conclusion: Truth telling is important from Mental, moral, religious and cultural aspects. Because of Progress in medical science, attitude toward truth telling is moderately positive. Truth telling has physical, emotional, financial benefits. Education of nurses and physicians in this Subject is important. Familiar support is very necessary in truth telling.