Patient and Caregiver Opinions of Motivational Interviewing Techniques In Role-Played Palliative Care Conversations: A Pilot Study.

CONTEXT: Although many have examined the role of motivational interviewing (MI) in diverse health care encounters, no one has explored whether patients and caregivers facing serious illnesses identify specific MI techniques as helpful. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this pilot study was to describe how patients and caregivers perceived MI techniques in palliative care role-play encounters. METHODS: About 21 patients and caregivers participated in a role-play encounter where we asked the participant to act out being ambivalent or reluctant regarding the goals of care decision. The participant met with either an MI-trained physician or a physician who was not trained in MI (usual care). After the simulated encounter, we conducted cognitive interviews ("think-aloud" protocol) asking participants to identify "helpful" or "unhelpful" things physicians said. Participants also completed a perceived empathy instrument as a fidelity test of the MI training of the physician. RESULTS: Qualitative analyses revealed that participants independently identified the following helpful communication elements that are consistent with core MI techniques: reflection and validation of values, support of autonomy and flexibility, and open questions acting as catalysts for discussion. Participants rated the MI-trained physician slightly higher on the perceived empathy scale. CONCLUSION: This pilot study represents the first exploration of patient and caregiver perceptions of helpful techniques in palliative care conversations. Use of MI techniques shows promise for improving palliative care discussions.

Community-based preferences for stool cards versus colonoscopy in colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, compliance with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening recommendations remains suboptimal. Professional organizations advocate use of shared decision making in screening test discussions, but strategies to facilitate informed choice in CRC screening have not been well elucidated. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the study were to determine screening test preference among colonoscopy-naïve adults after considering a detailed, written presentation of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and colonoscopy and to assess whether their preferences are associated with demographic characteristics, attitudes, and knowledge. DESIGN: The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: Colonoscopy-naïve supermarket shoppers age 40-79 in low- and middle-income, multiethnic neighborhoods in Denver, CO, reviewed a detailed, side-by-side description of FOBT and colonoscopy and answered questions about test preference, strength of preference, influence of physician recommendation, basic knowledge of CRC, and demographic characteristics. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Descriptive statistics characterized the sample, and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified correlates of screening test preference. In a diverse sample of 323 colonoscopy-naïve adults, 53% preferred FOBT, and 47% preferred colonoscopy for CRC screening. Individuals of Latino ethnicity and those with lower educational attainment were more likely to prefer FOBT than non-Latino whites and those with at least some college. Almost half of the respondents felt "very strongly" about their preferences, and one third said they would adhere to their choice regardless of physician recommendation. CONCLUSION: After considering a detailed, side-by-side comparison of the FOBT and colonoscopy, a large proportion of community-dwelling, colonoscopy-naïve adults prefer FOBT over colonoscopy for CRC screening. In light of professional guidelines and time-limited primary care visits, it is important to develop improved ways of facilitating informed patient decision making for CRC screening.

Developing treatment and control conditions in a clinical trial of massage therapy for advanced cancer.

The purpose of this article is to describe the challenges faced by a research team in developing treatment and control conditions in a study of the efficacy of massage therapy for advanced cancer. Five design considerations were addressed related to developing a massage therapy protocol: (1) dosage, that is, the number, spacing and length of treatments; (2) type of massage therapy; (3) degree to which the protocol for the treatment is standardized; (4) qualifications of the persons providing the treatment; and (5) conditions under which the treatment is provided. Five criteria for structuring the control condition of the study are elaborated: (1) equivalency of contact; (2) similarity of form; (3) minimum adverse or negative effects; (4) expectancy of therapeutic benefit; and (5) minimum therapeutic benefit.