JRSM > Volume 96, Number 1 > Pp. 10-16

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Send a Quick Comment Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Quick Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Koffman, J. Articles by Donaldson, N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Symptom severity in advanced cancer, assessed in two ethnic groups by interviews with bereaved family members and friends

Jonathan Koffman BA MSc   Irene J Higginson PhD FFPHM     Nora Donaldson CStat PhD  ¹

Department of Palliative Care and Policy, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Schools of Medicine, King's College London, Weston Education Centre, Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RJ, UK
¹ Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UK

Correspondence to: Jonathan Koffman E-mail: jonathan.s.koffman{at}kcl.ac.uk

Little research has been reported on the experience of cancer among minority ethnic communities in the UK. As part of a wider survey in inner London we interviewed bereaved family members or close friends of 34 first-generation black Caribbeans and of 35 UK-born white patients about symptoms and symptom control in the year before death with cancer. They were drawn from population samples in which the response rates were equal at about 46%.

Symptoms in the two ethnic groups were similar. However, multivariate logistic regression indicated greater symptom-related distress in black Caribbeans for appetite loss, pain, dry mouth, vomiting and nausea, and mental confusion. Respondents were also more likely to say, in relation to black Caribbean patients, that general practitioners (though not hospital doctors) could have tried harder to manage symptoms.

The findings suggest a need for better assessment and management of cancer symptoms in first-generation Caribbean Londoners, guided by a deeper understanding of cultural influences on their responses to advanced illness.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J Koffman, M Morgan, P Edmonds, P Speck, and I. Higginson Cultural meanings of pain: a qualitative study of Black Caribbean and White British patients with advanced cancer Palliative Medicine, June 1, 2008; 22(4): 350 - 359. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. J Wheatley and J I. Baker "Please, I want to go home": ethical issues raised when considering choice of place of care in palliative care Postgrad. Med. J., October 1, 2007; 83(984): 643 - 648. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]