An exploration of the effects of information giving and information needs of women with newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer: A mixed-method systematic review.
Guanfa Zou, Alison Simons, Samantha Toland
PMID 34313018WHAT IT FOUND
Women newly diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer wanted information from nurses and other clinicians, but not all at once.
Clear, staged information raised hope and reduced helplessness; overload or conflicting advice left some more anxious or misled.
Key findings
01Across the included studies, women most frequently received information from healthcare professionals, including nurses.
02Synthesised quantitative evidence linked information giving to better mental adjustment, such as higher fighting spirit and lower helplessness or hopelessness.
03Too much information could increase anxiety, and conflicting information could mislead women about treatment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only six studies were included, with 537 women across the 6 studies and 27 dropouts. The quantitative studies had sample sizes ranging from 47 to 249. Two of three papers from the same 21-participant Norwegian study were excluded to avoid duplicate participants. The iPad pilot had unequal allocation, with 13 in the intervention group and 26 in the control group. Educational level was not reported for some studies, although it may affect information needs. In the randomised study, usual care included educational information. Added components could not be separated. The review included only English full-text studies.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that more information is better for every woman. The review found mixed effects. Some women preferred information in stages, and the iPad group had higher anxiety and depression seven days after surgery.