Abstract:
Background
Little is known about prognostic awareness and preferences for prognostic information among patients
with advanced cancer in Kenya. This study aims to ¦ll that gap.
Methods
Outcome variables included a measure of prognostic awareness and preferences for prognostic
information. Logistic regressions examined the associations between these variables and patient
characteristics including age, years of education, socioeconomic status, and symptom burden.
Results
A substantial proportion of patients (36%) were unaware of their prognosis and most (69%) did not want
to receive additional prognostic information. Patients with greater preferences for receiving prognostic
information were older, more educated, of lower socioeconomic status, and reported less symptom
burden.
Conclusion
The high levels of unawareness and preferences against prognostic information provide a challenge for
efforts to increase shared decision-making and patient autonomy among historically disenfranchised
populations. Greater efforts to educate patients on the value of prognostic awareness should be
encouraged.
