P39-4 Activities report of a support program for cancer patients and their families at Jichi Medical University Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background: We report the progress of our support program activities (“Cancer Salon Rainbow”) in the last 6 years and consider the future direction. Methods: The cancer salon is opened to the public and conducted once a month in our hospital. The program consists of mini-lectures, relaxation, and interaction among the participants. In FY2019, the program also included a time to think about ACP. A questionnaire survey was conducted at each session. Results: The salon has been held 60 times from April 2014 to February 2020. Each annual numbers of participants were 369, 283, 376, 495, 389, and 299, respectively. Participants included many repeaters. They mainly consisted of cancer patients in our hospital and their families. A high percentage of them were women by sex, 60's by age. Main cancer patients were newly diagnosed within 5 years < over 5 years by periods after diagnosis, breast cancer by site (43 % other than 5 major cancers), and under treatment. In FY2019, their purposes of participation were mainly reported “acquisition of professional information” 67%, “taking relaxation” 54%, and “meeting peers”, “exchanging information based on actual experience” 45%. 74% of them answered that they have changed after participation, “The way of thinking about cancer” 73%, “The way of thinking about life” 66%, and “How to deal with others” 54%. Conclusion: The number of participants and the rate of evaluations have been steady. The useful program, activated their self-management and peer-support function, changes they felt after the participation as well might be factors. In the future, first, in response to their voices, we are considering the restart of the salon in the era of COVID-19. Second, according to their needs, we will provide proper information, relaxation, and promotion of peer support continuously. Finally, we aim at creating the salon where new participants with more various backgrounds can participate.