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Nurse-led follow-up care for head and neck cancer patients: a quasi-experimental prospective trial.
- Source :
-
Supportive Care in Cancer . Feb2013, Vol. 21 Issue 2, p537-547. 11p. - Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare conventional medical follow-up with follow-up containing additional nursing consultations regarding the psychosocial adjustment and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of head and neck cancer patients. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, patients were enrolled consecutively into two groups. Experimental care covered six 30-min bimonthly nursing follow-up consultations during the first year posttreatment. Data were collected at posttreatment months 1 (baseline), 6, and 12 for both groups. Results: The intervention group was significantly worse at baseline, based on two of the seven adjustment scales and on the majority of HRQOL scales. However, their outcome at 6 and 12 months was consistent with that of the group which received conventional follow-up. Thus, the intervention group had a larger improvement in scores, and this was significant for one of the seven adjustment scales and 19 of the 33 HRQOL scales at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Most of the differences in HRQOL scales were clinically relevant at 6 months. Conclusion: These results suggest that nurse-led consultations for patients with head and neck cancer have a positive effect, primarily with respect to HRQOL. Nurse-led follow-up leads to a similar psychosocial adjustment as conventional follow-up, even among patients who showed worse performance at the start of follow-up. Thus, nurse-led follow-up may be a cost-effective way to improve follow-up care for this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *HEAD & neck cancer patients
*MEDICAL consultation
*NURSING
*QUALITY of life
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09414355
- Volume :
- 21
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Supportive Care in Cancer
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 84621266
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1553-1