Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32994250›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2020

Employment status and information needs of patients with breast cancer: a multicentre cross-sectional study of first oncology consultations.

Maria Angela Mazzi, Cinzia Perlini, Giuseppe Deledda, Alberto Ghilardi, Chiara Buizza, Alessandro Bottacini, Claudia Goss, Lidia Del Piccolo

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Informational Needs of Lung Cancer Patients and Caregivers.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Maria Angela MazziDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Cinzia PerliniDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy cinzia.perlini@univr.it.ORCID 0000-0002-4281-0920
Giuseppe DeleddaClinical Psychological Service, UO of Clinical Psychology, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalisation and Health Care (IRCCS) "Sacro Cuore - Don Calabria", Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy.
Alberto GhilardiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Unit of Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Chiara BuizzaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Unit of Clinical Psychology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Alessandro BottaciniDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Claudia GossDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Lidia Del PiccoloDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate the early information needs of women with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) according to their employment status.

designCross-sectional.

settingSecondary-care patients attending three outpatient oncology clinics in northern Italy.

participants377 women with a recent diagnosis of early-stage, non-metastatic BC aged 18-75 were recruited. Of them, 164 were employed, 103 non-employed and 110 retired. OUTCOME MEASURES: The first consultation visit with an oncologist was audio-recorded and analysed for the number and type of questions asked. Linear regression models considering consultations' and patients' characteristics as confounding variables were applied.

resultsEmployed patients asked significantly more questions than non-employed and retired patients (17 vs 13 and 14; F=6.04; p<0.01). When age and education were included in the statistical model, the significance of employment status was rearranged among all the variables and was no more significant (b=1.2, p=0.44). Employed women asked more questions concerning disease prognosis (0.7 vs 0.4 and 0.6; F=3.5; p=0.03), prevention (1.4 vs 0.6 and 0.7; F=10.7; p<0.01), illness management (7.2 vs 6 and 5.4; F=3.8; p=0.02) and social functioning (37% vs 18% and 20%; χ

conclusionsEmployment status is related to the type of questions asked during the first consultation. Also, it interrelates with other patients' characteristics like age and education in determining the number of questions asked. Patients' characteristics including employment status could be considered in tailoring work and social-related information provided during the first oncological consultation. Future studies could explore potential differences in information needs according to the different kinds of work.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsAdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesEmploymentFemaleHumansItalyMiddle AgedReferral and ConsultationSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adultadult oncologybreast tumoursquality in health care

Identifiers

PMID32994250
PMCPMC7526300

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.