Effectiveness of Communication Skills Training on Cancer Patients' Outcomes: A Case-Control Study in Taiwan

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of communication skill training (CST) from both physicians and patients' perspectives. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at five hospitals across Taiwan using purposive sampling. Physicians were matched by gender, seniority, and department; patients were matched by age, gender, cancer type, and stage. A total of 232 patients were included: 116 in the experimental group (physicians who received CST) and 116 in the control group (physicians without CST). Physicians' truth-telling practices were evaluated immediately after CST using a 70-item questionnaire. Patient emotional distress was assessed 3 months later using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Distress Thermometer. Results: A statistically significant difference in physicians' truth-telling practices was found between the groups. Physicians in the experimental group demonstrated significantly better truth-telling practices than those in the control group (265.23 ± 26.57 vs. 257.81 ± 29.84, p = 0.047). Three months after receiving bad news, patients in the experimental group had lower levels of depression (5.98 ± 3.80 vs. 7.26 ± 4.90, p = 0.049), anxiety (5.84 ± 3.47 vs. 6.80 ± 4.02, p = 0.030), and emotional distress (3.39 ± 2.60 vs. 4.40 ± 2.97, p = 0.013) compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: CST can improve physicians' truth-telling practices and reduce emotional distress in cancer patients. Regular CST should be integrated into medical education and in –service training to sustain these skills. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term benefits of CST and its impact on healthcare utilization.