Abstract
PURPOSE:
New strategies for delivering cancer
follow-up care are needed. We surveyed primary care providers (PCPs)
and oncologists to assess how physician attitudes toward and
self-efficacy with cancer follow-up affect preferences for different cancer survivorship models.
METHODS:
The survey of physician attitudes regarding the care of cancer
survivors was mailed to a randomly selected national sample of PCPs and
oncologists to evaluate their perspectives regarding physician roles,
knowledge about survivorship care processes, and views on cancer
surveillance. Multinomial logistic regression models were constructed
to examine how physician attitudes towards, and self-efficacy with,
their own skills affected preferences for different cancer survivorship care models.
RESULTS:
Of
3,434 physicians identified, a total of 2,026 participants provided
eligible responses: 938 PCPs and 1,088 oncologists. Most PCPs (51 %)
supported a PCP/shared care model; whereas, the majority of specialists
(59 %) strongly endorsed an oncologist-based model (p < 0.001). Less
than a quarter of PCPs and oncologists preferred specialized survivor
clinics. A significant proportion of oncologists (87 %) did not feel
that PCPs should take on the primary role of cancer follow-up. Most PCPs believed that they were better able to perform breast and colorectal cancer
follow-up (57 %), detect recurrent cancers (74 %), and offer
psychosocial support (50 %), but only a minority (32 %) was willing to
assume primary responsibility. PCPs already involved with cancer
surveillance (43 %) were more likely to prefer a PCP/shared care than
oncologist-based survivorship model (OR, 2.08; 95 % CI, 1.34-3.23).
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS:
PCPs and oncologists have different preferences for models of cancer survivorship care. Prior involvement with cancer surveillance was one of the strongest predictors of PCPs' willingness to assume this responsibility.
0 comments :
Post a Comment
Your comments?
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.