Abstract

Background: General practice recognizes the existential dimension as an integral part of multidimensional patient care alongside the physical, psychological and social dimensions. However, general practitioners (GPs) report substantial barriers related to communication with patients about existential concerns.

Objectives: To describe the development of the EMAP tool facilitating communication about existential problems and resources between GPs and patients with cancer.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was chosen comprising a literature search, focus group interviews with GPs and patients (n = 55) and a two-round Delphi procedure initiated by an expert meeting with 14 experts from Denmark and Norway.

Results: The development procedure resulted in a semi-structured tool containing suggestions for 10 main questions and 13 sub-questions grouped into four themes covering the existential dimension. The tool utilized the acronym and mnemonic EMAP (existential communication in general practice) indicating the intention of the tool: to provide a map of possible existential problems and resources that the GP and the patient can discuss to find points of reorientation in the patient’s situation.

Conclusion: This study resulted in a question tool that can serve as inspiration and help GPs when communicating with cancer patients about existential problems and resources. This tool may qualify GPs’ assessment of existential distress, increase the patient’s existential well-being and help deepen the GP–patient relationship.

Details

Title
Development of the EMAP tool facilitating existential communication between general practitioners and cancer patients
Author
Elisabeth Assing Hvidt 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hansen, Dorte Gilså 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ammentorp, Jette 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Bjerrum, Lars 3 ; Cold, Søren 4 ; Gulbrandsen, Pål 5 ; Olesen, Frede 6 ; Pedersen, Susanne S 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Søndergaard, Jens 8   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Timmermann, Connie 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Timm, Helle 9 ; Hvidt, Niels Christian 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Department of Public Health, Research Unit of General Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 
2  Institute of Regional Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;; Health Services Research Unit, Lillebaelt Hospital, Vejle, Denmark; 
3  Department of Public Health, Section of General Practice and Research Unit for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 
4  Department of Public Health, Research Unit of General Practice, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;; Department of Oncology, Medical Faculty, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 
5  Department of Social Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway;; HØKH Research Centre, Akershus University Hospital, Lorenskog, Norway; 
6  Department of Public Health, The Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; 
7  Department of Psychology, Unit of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark;; Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; 
8  Research Unit of General Practice, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 
9  The Danish Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care (REHPA), National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark 
End page
268
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Dec 2017
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
ISSN
13814788
e-ISSN
17511402
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2195227631
Copyright
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.