Breast cancer survivors must manage chronic side effects of original treatment. To manage these symptoms, communication must include both biomedical and contextual lifestyle factors. Sixty breast cancer survivors and 6 providers were recruited to test a conceptual model developed from uncertainty in illness theory and the dimensions of a patient-centered relationship. Visits were audio-taped, then coded using the Measure of Patient-Centered Communication (Brown, Stewart, andRyan, 2001). Consultations were found to be 52% patient-centered. Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) analysis showed that survivor self-reported fatigue level and conversation about symptoms were associated with survivor uncertainty, mood state, and survivor perception of patient-centered communication. Survivors may want to discuss persistent symptom concerns with providers, due to concerns about recurrence, and discuss lifestyle contextual concerns with others.
