Testing the Effectiveness of an Information Booklet for Cancer Patients

Describes a study designed to evaluate the efficacy of a general information booklet in preparing cancer patients for their first visit to a cancer center. Patients were randomly assigned to receive the booklet in one of three ways: (1) by mail in advance of their appointment (mail group), (2) when they arrived at the center but before their interview (before group), and (3) after their interview (control group). The patients' responses were gathered in a structured interview. Those patients who received the booklet early felt better informed about available services, their physician's reasons for referring them to the center; the mail group felt better informed about their disease and the treatment options and, in general, felt that the center had helped them prepare for their first visit.