The impact of survivorship care plans on knowledge among breast cancer survivors.

Authors

null

Kaleigh Bulloch

Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT

Kaleigh Bulloch , Melinda Irwin , Anees B. Chagpar , Nina Ruth Horowitz , Brigid K. Killelea , Lajos Pusztai , Maysa M. Abu-Khalaf , Michael DiGiovanna , Gina G. Chung , Erin Wysong Hofstatter , Arthur Louis Levy , Tara Beth Sanft

Organizations

Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, Yale University, New Haven, CT, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: Despite the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that all cancer survivors be provided with a survivorship care plan (SCP), there is limited information as to whether SCPs improve knowledge. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of SCPs on patient knowledge regarding tumor stage, cancer treatment and potential risk of long-term side effects, surveillance recommendations, and perceived knowledge of their therapy. Methods: 75 English-speaking women over the age of 18 were enrolled in this prospective study. The participants’ treatment progress was tracked through the electronic medical record and used to create the SCP, which was given to them at the completion of treatment (defined as the time patients had completed radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments and initiated on hormonal therapy, if applicable). Knowledge of stage, treatments, potential side effects, and surveillance recommendations were assessed before receiving the SCP and again two months later. Accuracy of responses was compared using the McNemar test. Results: The median patient age was 56.8 ± 12.5 and 47.1% were stage I, 37.3% were stage II, and 15.7% were stage III. Participants were statistically more accurate in identifying their stage after receiving their SCP than at baseline (72.6% vs. 92.2%, p = 0.0016). While many patients were more accurate in the identification of the cancer treatment they received after SCP, the only significant improvement was in identifying 5-Fluorouracil as chemotherapy received (65.5% vs. 89.7%, p=0.0196). Patients were more accurate in identifying potential side effects but were only statistically more accurate at identifying leukemia as a risk factor (36.0% vs. 46.9%, p=0.0348). At baseline and follow up patients perceived that they had a high level of understanding as it related to their cancer stage (60.4%, and 66.7%), treatment (69.4%, and 71.4%), and surveillance recommendations (61.4%, and 54.6%). Conclusions: SCPs appear to improve patient knowledge in several important areas including basic and specific treatment details, surveillance recommendations, and potential side effects. Delivery of a SCPs is one strategy to improve knowledge of treatments received.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2013 Breast Cancer Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

General Poster Session B

Track

Survivorship and Health Policy,Systemic Therapy

Sub Track

Survivorship

Citation

J Clin Oncol 31, 2013 (suppl 26; abstr 124)

DOI

10.1200/jco.2013.31.26_suppl.124

Abstract #

124

Poster Bd #

C17

Abstract Disclosures

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