A Clinical Intervention Model for Communication and Information Focusing on Existential Uncertainty – A Participatory Action Research Project Informed by Qualitative Outcome Analysis

Objectives. The aim was to develop a team oriented intervention model for palliative cancer care focusing on communicating changes in goals of care. Methods. A participatory action research project was designed by means of qualitative outcome analysis. Initially, bimonthly focus groups with one palliative care team at an oncology outpatient unit were performed during one and a half year. Previous major results, from qualitative studies into patients’ knowledge seeking and experiences of communication and information in palliative cancer care, were used as facilitators for discussion and reflection on the team’s professional experiences. Collaboratively, the researchers and the team worked on developing an intervention model for communication and information. Group discussion data were analyzed concurrently. A preliminary clinical intervention model was developed and refined by means of focus groups with additional palliative care teams and patients respectively. Results. A model of communication and information in palliative cancer care aimed for clinical intervention will be presented, including main concepts, strategies and outcomes. The focus of the model is communication of changes in patients’ goals of care in relation to progress of disease as well as patients’ existential uncertainty (conceptualized as certainty–uncertainty). Conclusions. The model is found to have clinical fit, thanks of the collaborative development by clinicians and researchers. The next step is to further evaluate it clinically.