Table 2.
Communication domain: parental experiences related to clarity and honesty of information provided by physiciansa
| Cardiology | Neonatology | Neurology | Oncology | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | M (SD) | |
| Mdn (range) | Mdn (range) | Mdn (range) | Mdn (range) | Mdn (range) | |
| In generalb | |||||
| Clarity | 5.88 (0.82) | 6.00 (1.23) | 5.83 (1.33) | 6.23 (1.10) | 5.99 (1.18) |
| 6 (4–7) | 6 (1–7) | 6 (2–7) | 6 (1–7) | 6 (1–7) | |
| Honesty | 6.19 (1.10) | 6.31 (1.20) | 6.17 (1.26) | 6.53 (0.84) | 6.31 (1.13) |
| 7 (4–7) | 7 (1–7) | 7 (2–7) | 7 (3–7) | 7 (1–7) | |
| Treatment options to alleviate suffering | |||||
| Clarityc | 6.08 (1.02) | 5.96 (1.29) | 5.79 (1.03) | 6.31 (0.85) | 6.02 (1.11) |
| 6 (4–7) | 6 (1–7) | 6 (3–7) | 7 (4–7) | 6 (1–7) | |
| Prospects of life-sustaining measures | |||||
| Clarity | 6.14 (0.96) | 6.11 (1.15) | 6.37 (0.95) | 6.53 (0.72) | 6.27 (1.00) |
| 6 (4–7) | 6 (2–7) | 7 (2–7) | 7 (4–7) | 7 (2–7) | |
| Honesty | 6.14 (1.35) | 6.32 (1.09) | 6.36 (1.23) | 6.68 (0.62) | 6.39 (1.09) |
| 7 (2–7) | 7 (2–7) | 7 (1–7) | 7 (5–7) | 7 (1–7) |
Note. No statistically significant differences between the diagnostic groups
aParents were asked to rate their experiences concerning communication with the attending physicians in terms of clarity and honesty. bAll items were coded on a scale from 1 to 7. cHonesty response option not provided for this item