Strategies of persuasion in offers to participate in cancer clinical trials II: Appeals to altruism

Authors

  • Ellen Barton Linguistics Program Department of English Wayne State University
  • Susan Eggly Wayne State University
  • Andrew Winckles Adrian College
  • Terrance L. Albrecht Wayne State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.v11i3.17647

Keywords:

physician-patient communication, clinical trials, cancer, altruism, medical ethics, discourse analysis

Abstract

Recent research has suggested that altruism might play a role in patients’ decisions to participate in cancer clinical trials. Little is known, however, about oncologists’ use of appeals to altruism as a persuasive strategy in the face-to-face communication of offers to participate in clinical trials. Based on a corpus of 22 oncology encounters, this exploratory discourse analysis describes oncologists’ appeals to altruism in clinical trial offers and discusses the ethical status of such appeals. Oncologists make appeals to altruism (1) in discussions of trial benefits and (2) in research stories about the progress of medical science through clinical trials. But these appeals were made only rarely in the corpus, indicating that oncologists may not regard appeals to altruism as a persuasive strategy, perhaps because they regard these appeals as ineffective in recruiting patients to participate in clinical trials.

Author Biographies

  • Ellen Barton, Linguistics Program Department of English Wayne State University
    Professor and Chair Department of English Wayne State University
  • Susan Eggly, Wayne State University
    Susan Eggly is an associate Professor in the Population Studies and Disparities research Program in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Institute. her research interests are in provider–patient communication and racial health disparities.
  • Andrew Winckles, Adrian College
    Andrew Winckles was a research assistant on this project. He is currently an assistant Professor in the CORE Department of Adrian College.
  • Terrance L. Albrecht, Wayne State University
    Terrance L. Albrecht is associate Center Director for Population Sciences and Professor and Leader of the Population Studies and Disparities research Program in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University and the Karmanos Cancer Institute. her research interests are in physician–patient–family communication and social networks, social support, and health outcomes.

Published

2014-04-27

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Barton, E., Eggly, S., Winckles, A., & Albrecht, T. L. (2014). Strategies of persuasion in offers to participate in cancer clinical trials II: Appeals to altruism. Communication and Medicine, 11(3), 223–233. https://doi.org/10.1558/cam.v11i3.17647

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