Title

Engagement and experience with cancer-related follow-up care among young adult survivors of childhood cancer after transfer to adult care.

Year of Publication

2016

Number of Pages

342-50

Date Published

2016 Apr

ISSN Number

1932-2267

Abstract

<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>Young adult survivors (YAS) of childhood cancer require annual adult-focused, cancer-related follow-up given their risk for late effects of treatment. This study describes perception of and engagement with adult-focused, cancer-related follow-up care and general health care among YAS formally transferred to adult care from pediatric survivorship care.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>YAS transferred from pediatric survivorship care in the prior 1-5&nbsp;years completed measures indicating engagement with cancer-related follow-up care, other health care utilization, content of communication by providers, quality of cancer-related care, and satisfaction with health care in the prior year.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Eighty YAS (M age = 27.7&nbsp;years, M time since diagnosis = 10.4&nbsp;years) participated. Just over half of YAS surveyed (n = 44, 55&nbsp;%) endorsed continuing cancer-related follow-up care since transfer. Those with cancer-related follow-up endorsed seeing subspecialty survivorship providers (n = 16, 44&nbsp;%) and primary care providers (n = 22, 50&nbsp;%) or utilizing a shared care model (n = 6, 14&nbsp;%). About a third of YAS endorsed seeing subspecialists (n = 29, 36&nbsp;%) or using other support services (n = 22, 27&nbsp;%). YAS-perceived content of communication varied significantly depending on care model with less cancer-related content being discussed by primary care providers, though perceived quality of cancer-related care and satisfaction with health care was generally favorable.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>YAS report less than optimal engagement in cancer-related follow-up care and communication in their health care encounters.</p>

<p><strong>IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: </strong>Young adult survivors should receive anticipatory guidance about expectations for delivery and content of adult-focused cancer-related follow-up care.</p>

DOI

10.1007/s11764-015-0480-9

Alternate Title

J Cancer Surviv

PMID

26303367

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