Medical Communication during the Transition to Palliative Care in Pediatric Oncology in Hungary—The Parents’ Perspective

Abstract

The transition to palliative care (PC) is a critical aspect of pediatric oncology, and it requires a high level of communication skills from doctors, which could be best judged by the parents of children who have died from cancer. Our aim was to explore the parents’ perspectives regarding the timing of the consultation on the implementation of PC, as well as facets of verbal and nonverbal communication in Hungary. Semistructured interviews were conducted with parents who had lost a child to cancer within the past 1–5 years. Interview transcripts (n = 23) were scrutinized with interpretative phenomenological analysis. The parents frequently associated palliation with end-of-life care and they clearly delimited the transition to PC after curative treatments had been exhausted. The parents were ambivalent with regard to the use of the word “death” during this consultation, and they often did not receive information on what to expect (e.g., regarding symptoms) or on who to turn to for further information or support (e.g., concerning bereavement). Although significant progress could be observed in the organization of pediatric palliative care in Hungary, there is still no widely accepted communication method for the transition to sole PC. There is a need for a culturally sensitive approach to refining the recommendations on the word use and communication protocol in pediatric PC in Hungary.

The Impact of Qualification and Hospice Education on Staff Attitudes during Palliative Care in Pediatric Oncology Wards—A National Survey

“…In another study in Hungary, the majority of parents who had lost a child said that palliative care was introduced after all possible treatments. Thus, there was a substantial gap between curative and palliative therapy [46]. This study and our present research findings highlight the discrepancy between international recommendations and current practice and draw attention to the need to rethink the concept of palliative care.…”

Attitudes toward the Care of Children with Cancer in Saudi: An Exploratory Survey

“…The quality and methods of communication with parents play an important role in the treatment of the child and have the potential to raise morale. It has been observed that the child and the parents show greater commitment to treatment when communication is better [ 8 , 25 ]. Knowing that the disease is curable, and that effective treatment is available but not affordable in all cases presents a moral challenge that requires highly effective communication.…”

Relación entre la ausencia de formación en habilidades de comunicación y la utilización de la medicina defensiva en México y Perú

“…En Hungría se realizó un estudio con padres que habían perdido un hijo por cáncer, el cual mostró que, en su mayoría, no recibieron información sobre qué podía ocurrir en un futuro o sobre a quién recurrir para obtener más información o apoyo respecto a la salud de su hijo. Aunque ha habido avances, aún no existe un método de comunicación aceptado para la transición a los cuidados paliativos (Foldesi et al, 2022).…”