Objectives: This study, drawing on the pathway mediation model developed by Street and his colleagues (2009) that links communication to health outcomes, explores how patient-centered communication affects cancer information avoidance.
Methods: Data was gathered through online access panel surveys, utilizing stratified sampling across Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Austria. The final sample included 4910 non-cancer and 414 cancer patients, all receiving healthcare from clinicians within the past year.
Results: The results demonstrated that patient-centered communication is directly associated with reduced cancer information avoidance, especially among cancer patients. Additionally, this association is indirectly mediated through patient trust and healthcare literacy.
Conclusion: The findings provide empirical evidence that reveals the underlying mechanism linking clinician-patient communication to patient health information behavior.
Practice implications: The potential of clinician-patient communication in addressing health information avoidance is highlighted by these findings. Future interventions in healthcare settings should consider adopting patient-centered communication strategies. Additionally, improving patient trust and literacy levels could be effective in reducing cancer information avoidance.
Keywords: Cancer; Health information behavior; Information avoidance; Literacy; Patient-centered communication; Patient-provider communication; Trust.
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