None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The primary purpose of this study is to analyse the differences in language used by clinicians and melanoma patients of different socioeconomic statuses (SES) and between male and female patients. Who is it for? You may be eligible to take part in this trial if you are aged 18 or over and have been diagnosed with melanoma for which you are scheduled to attend your first consultation at one of the study sites. All participants enrolled in this study will have a single consultation with their clinician (surgeon/oncologist/nurse, etc.) audio recorded. This audio recording will then be analysed for different types of language used, including phrasing of questions, the control of 'turn taking' and expression of degrees of probability. Researchers will then look for patterns between patients of low and high SES, and between males and females. It is hoped that the findings from this study will provide information on the communication used by clinicians with melanoma patients, and how this communication differs between people with different SES statuses, and between men and women.
Interventions
Following consent from clinicians and patients, melanoma specialists will audio record the interactions during the initial consultation with new patients. Just the initial consultation will be recorded. Patients will be grouped by socioeconomic status, based on their occupation and level of education.
The recordings will be transcribed and analysed, with the focus on meaning rather than on accent, grammar or vocabulary. Features such as the phrasing of questions, control of turn-taking, clini
Following consent from clinicians and patients, melanoma specialists will audio record the interactions during the initial consultation with new patients. Just the initial consultation will be recorded. Patients will be grouped by socioeconomic status, based on their occupation and level of education. The recordings will be transcribed and analysed, with the focus on meaning rather than on accent, grammar or vocabulary. Features such as the phrasing of questions, control of turn-taking, clinicians’ responses to patient responses, expressions of degrees of probability and obligation (‘might’, ‘must’, ‘possibly’, ‘definitely’, ‘have to’, ‘I think …’), and the coding of logical relations (such as causality, consequence, conditionality) through conjunctions, abstract nouns and even verbs will also be analysed. These factors influence discussions of treatment outcome and prognosis and may be a frequent source of confusion for patients and families.
Sponsors
Melanoma Institute Australia
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
All new patients with a diagnosis of melanoma who are attending their first consultation with medical, radiation or surgical oncologists and nurses.
Exclusion criteria
Patients unable to speak and understand English
Outcome results
None listed