The New York Times Well blog had a post today about the reason many people do not get recommended colon cancer screening: fear. The fact that so many cite fear as a reason for not getting or putting off the test presents a communication opportunity for physicians talking to their patients about colon cancer screening. Physicians should not downplay a patient's fears. but rather anticipate and validate emotions the patients may be feeling about the screening test. Take a few minutes to explore the emotion: is it fear of finding cancer or fear of complications from the test or something else? Communication can be the difference between a patient getting a needed test and not getting it.
Meanwhile, here's what Dave Barry had to say about getting a colonoscopy.
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear. Show all posts
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
