268552 Breast cancer survivors' post-treatment engagement with healthcare providers and recommendations for survivorship care

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Suepattra May, PhD, MPH , Department of Health Services Research, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Katharine Rendle, MA, MSW , Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Palo Alto, CA
Meghan Halley, PhD, MPH , Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Nicole Ventre, MS , Department of Health Services Research, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Dominick Frosch, PhD , Department of Health Services Research, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA
Allison Kurian, MD, MSc , School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Introduction: The population of cancer survivors has grown substantially in recent decades. Concurrently, there is a growing emphasis on patient-centered care. This study documents breast cancer survivors' health care decision support needs and their experiences engaging health professionals in the post-treatment survivorship period.

Methods: A series of five focus groups were held with women receiving support services at a breast cancer resource organization in California (N=21). Each group centered on a different aspect of treatment including: diagnosis, surgery and reconstruction, systemic therapy, radiation therapy, quality of life and survivorship. Data were coded for key themes using qualitative methods.

Results: Recurrent themes described by survivors included (1) a sense of abandonment and lack of communication with healthcare providers after active treatment, (2) lack of sufficient attention paid by healthcare providers to the long-term physical and emotional impact of breast cancer and (3) the absence of a clear and consistent post-treatment care plan developed in collaboration with healthcare providers. Survivors provided recommendations for what to incorporate into a post-treatment care plan including patient education about cancer survivorship, whom to communicate with about post-treatment side effects and having a primary point of contact or dedicated clinic to assist patients in navigating and making decisions about management of survivorship.

Conclusions: While much has been published about patient-provider communication and engagement during cancer treatment, little is known about interactions in the post-treatment survivorship period. These data suggest a need for greater awareness among healthcare providers of support and decision-making needs during cancer survivorship.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe breast cancer survivors’ engagement, communication and decision support with health care providers in the post-treatment survivorship period. Describe recommendations by patients for a survivorship care plan outlining education strategies for women who have completed active breast cancer treatment.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Patient Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be a presenter because I am a medical anthropologist and have extensive training in qualitative research methods. My area of expertise is in decision making and treatment experiences of patients diagnosed with cancer.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.