A randomized controlled trial of a skills training for oncologists and a communication aid for patients to stimulate shared decision making about palliative systemic treatment (CHOICE): study protocol

Table 2 Secondary outcomes self-reported by patient or oncologist

Concept	Instrument	Patient					Oncologist
		T0	T1	T2	T3	T4	T0	T1	T2
Perceived communication efficacy	Purpose designed		x
Evaluation of communication and decision making in consultation
Satisfaction with communication	PSQ with one extra item on SDM			x			x^a	x^a	x
Perceived oncologist empathy	Purpose designed items			x
	Purpose designed VAS			x					x
Preferred/perceived decisional role	CPS		x	x
Patient-reported SDM	SDMQ-9			x
Decision evaluation	DCS			x
Trust in the oncologist	Two items from TiOS			x
Distal outcomes
Attitudes towards striving for quantity (length) or quality of life	QQQ			x	x	x
Quality of life	EORTC-QLQ C30	x			x	x
Potentially adverse outcomes
Anxiety	STAI	x		x	x	x
	+ 1-item VAS scale	x	x	x	x	x
Fighting spirit	Mini-MAC subscale	x		x	x	x
Helplessness/Hopelessness	MAC subscale	x		x	x	x
Use and evaluation of communication aid
Use of the communication aid	Purpose designed				x^b	x^b
Evaluation of the communication aid	Purpose designed			x^b	x^b	x^b

PSQ Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, CPS Control Preferences Scale, SDMQ-9 Shared Decision Making Queationnaire −9 items, DCS Decisional Confict Scale, TiOS Trust in Oncologist Scale, QQQ Quantity Quality Questionnaire, EORTC-QoL-C30 European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, STAI Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory, MINI-MAC Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale, MAC Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale. ^a Satisfaction with communication in simulated encounter. ^b For patients randomized to receive the communication aid only

ISSN: 1471-2407