1. International Survey of Pediatric Oncologists’ Beliefs and Communication Practices Regarding Symptom Self-Monitoring by Childhood Cancer Survivors.
- Author
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Webster, Sarah N., Spunt, Sheri L., Cunningham, Sarah J., Wakefield, Claire E., Smith, Stephanie M., Alberts, Nicole M., Palesh, Oxana, Simons, Laura E., and Heathcote, Lauren C.
- Subjects
CANCER patient psychology ,SPECIALTY hospitals ,ATTITUDES of medical personnel ,SELF-management (Psychology) ,PEDIATRICS ,CANCER relapse ,TUMORS in children ,CANCER treatment ,PEARSON correlation (Statistics) ,T-test (Statistics) ,COMMUNICATION ,QUALITY of life ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,RESEARCH funding ,STATISTICAL sampling ,WORRY ,WHITE people ,THERAPEUTIC complications ,PATIENT education ,DATA analysis software ,ONCOLOGISTS ,PSYCHOLOGICAL stress ,SYMPTOMS - Abstract
PURPOSE Childhood cancer survivors report self-monitoring for and worrying about symptoms of disease recurrence and secondary cancers, although symptom-related worry is associated with poorer health-related quality of life. This survey captured pediatric oncologists’ beliefs and communication practices regarding symptom self-monitoring for childhood cancer survivors. METHODS Using a closed-loop snowball sampling technique, pediatric oncologists completed an online survey regarding the importance of symptom self-monitoring for off-therapy patients, the degree to which symptom self-monitoring was perceived to cause stress and worry, and communication practices. RESULTS 196 pediatric oncologists (White [78%]; female [64%]; M
age = 5 47 years) from every continent except Antarctica participated. Oncologists believed it is important for off-therapy patients to self-monitor for symptoms of cancer recurrence (90%) and treatment late effects (94%), although some noted that recurrence (30%) and late effects (55%) are typically detected by routine surveillance before symptoms appear. Oncologists varied in their beliefs that off-therapy patients do (31%) or do not (31%) worry unnecessarily about symptoms of recurrence. Two thirds (62%) of oncologists reported often/always discussing with off-therapy patients which symptoms could indicate cancer recurrence, whereas fewer than half (43%) often/always discussed which symptoms were unlikely to indicate recurrence. Oncologists identified a need for education regarding how to communicate around symptom self-monitoring and the potential utility of a screening tool to identify those who worry excessively. CONCLUSION Despite nearly universal belief that their off-therapy patients should self-monitor for symptoms of disease recurrence and late effects, a substantial proportion of pediatric oncologists do not counsel patients on symptom self-monitoring. Since nearly one-third believe that off-therapy patients worry unnecessarily about symptoms of recurrence, improving patient education regarding which symptoms are and are not medically concerning could decrease stress and improve health-related quality of life for pediatric cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
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