Cancer opinionnaire: Medical students' attitudes toward psychosocial cancer care

A questionnaire assessing attitudes toward psychosocial cancer care (the Cancer Opinionnaire) was constructed. Factor analysis revealed five factors: outcome expectations; candor; interest in treating cancer; psychosocial concerns: role of the physician; and psychosocial concerns: importance to the patient. Reliabilities ranged from 0.68 to 0.82. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that second-year students, who had been exposed to a required first-year course stressing biopsychosocial concerns of medical care, expressed more positive attitudes than did entering first-year students. Additionally, female medical students expressed more positive attitudes than did male students. Addressing biopsychosocial concerns in the beginning of medical education may help establish a more open and fertile ground upon which later training will be received.