ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Patient navigation is increasingly employed to guide patients through cancer treatment. We assessed the elements of navigation that promoted patients' involvement in treatment among patients with breast and colorectal cancer that participated in a navigation study. METHODS: We conducted qualitative analysis of 28 audiotaped and transcribed semi-structured interviews of navigated and unnavigated cancer patients. RESULTS: Themes included feeling emotionally and cognitively overwhelmed and desire for a strong patient-navigator partnership. Both participants who were navigated and those who were not felt that navigation did or could help address their emotional, informational, and communicational needs. The benefits of logistical support were cited less often. CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the salience of personal relationships between patients and navigators in meeting patients' emotional and informational needs.
