RESUMO
This project set out to quantify women's views of routine follow-up. Women attending for routine follow-up after gynaecological cancer completed a questionnaire. A total of 54% (48/89) reported increased anxiety prior to their appointment, and 10% (9/90) still felt more anxious afterwards. Most women (82/92, 89%) preferred to see a hospital doctor, and preferred this to a review by a specialist nurse or general practitioner (p<0.001). Women thought the examination was the most important part of the visit (p<0.0001). Women viewed the specialist nurse's role as listening to concerns and taking blood, rather than detecting recurrence (p<0.0001). Women ranked detection of recurrence as the most important reason for attending for follow-up (p<0.0001). Overall, women think that detection of recurrence is the primary rationale for routine follow-up. Their views need to be taken into consideration when considering changes in the provision of follow-up care.
Assuntos
Neoplasias dos Genitais Femininos/terapia , Pesquisas sobre Atenção à Saúde , Satisfação do Paciente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Atitude Frente a Saúde , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Neoplasias dos Genitais Femininos/psicologia , Neoplasias dos Genitais Femininos/cirurgia , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Relações Enfermeiro-Paciente , Cooperação do Paciente , Relações Médico-PacienteRESUMO
Traditionally, women who have been treated for a gynecological cancer have undergone long-term follow-up by hospital doctors. Recently, there has been interest in alternative models of follow-up, including nurse-based review. The project compares patients' and professionals' views of follow-up. A questionnaire was completed by 96 women attending routine follow-up clinics and by 32 professionals involved in delivering follow-up. A large majority of women (82/96, 92%) and professionals (25/34, 73%) thought that follow-up should be provided by a hospital doctor. However, professionals were more likely to think that specialist nurses and general practitioners should be involved in the provision of follow-up (P < 0.01). Professionals thought that the most important part of the follow-up visit was the consultation, whereas women thought it was the examination (P < 0.001). Women thought that detection of recurrence was the most important reason for continuing surveillance, whereas professionals regarded addressing patients' concerns as the primary reason for follow-up (P < 0.001). We conclude that the views of women undergoing follow-up after gynecological cancer differ significantly from the professionals providing follow-up care. These views must be considered when developing alternative follow-up strategies.
