Nancy L. Schoenborn|Kimberley Lee|Craig Evan Pollack|Karen Armacost|Sydney M. Dy|John F.P. Bridges|Xue Qin|Antonio C. Wolff|Cynthia M. Boyd
Older Adults’ Views and Communication Preferences About Cancer Screening Cessation
Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins Medicine|Johns Hopkins University
older adults limited life expectancy frequently screened cancer even though exposes risks screening minimal benefit patient preferences may important contributor continued screeningto examine older adults views decision stop cancer screening life expectancy limited identify older adults preferences clinicians communicate recommendations cease cancer screeningin semistructured interview study interviewed 40 communitydwelling older adults 65 years recruited 4 clinical programs affiliated urban academic medical centerwe transcribed audio recorded discussions analyzed transcripts using standard techniques qualitative content analysis identify major themes subthemesthe participants average age 757 years twentythree participants 575 female 25 625 white estimated life expectancy less 10 years 19 participants 475 identified 3 key themes first participants amenable stopping cancer screening especially context trusting relationship clinician second although many participants supported using age health status individualize screening decision often understand role life expectancy except 2 participants objected choosing wisely statement recommending cancer screening limited life expectancy often believing clinicians cannot accurately predict life expectancy third participants preferred clinicians explain recommendation stop screening incorporating individual health status divided whether life expectancy mentioned specific wording life expectancy important many felt language may live long enough benefit test unnecessarily harsh compared positive messaging test would help live longeralthough research clinical practice guidelines recommend using life expectancy inform cancer screening older adults may consider life expectancy important screening may prefer hear life expectancy discussing screening described communication preferences help inform future screening discussions better delineating patientcentered approaches discuss screening cessation important step toward optimizing cancer screening older adults