Poster Presentation Cancer Survivorship 2019

Evaluation of Survivorship Care Plans from survivors attending the Sydney Survivorship clinic (#237)

Janette Vardy 1 2 3 , Kain Phansuwon 3 , Jane Turner 1 4 , Kim Kerin-Ayres 1 5 , Sue Butler 1 6 , Cole Deguchi 1 5 , Sonia Khatri 1 5 , Carolyn Wildbore 1 7 , Ashanya Malalasekera 1 , Sim Yee (Cindy) Tan 1 3 8
  1. Concord Cancer Centre , Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
  2. Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Concord, NSW, Australia
  4. Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Nursing Services, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
  6. Psychology Department, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW , Australia
  7. Nursing Services, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia
  8. Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia

Background

Survivorship Care Plans (SCP) contain individualised information about a person’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, recommendations for managing treatment-related side effects and reducing lifestyle risk factors for cancer recurrence and chronic disease.  At the initial Sydney Survivorship clinic, a SCP is developed by the Survivorship multidisciplinary team (medical oncologist, dietitian, exercise physiologist, consultant nurse and clinical psychologist), in conjunction with the survivor, and then posted to the survivor, their GP and cancer specialists.

Methods

Cancer survivors were invited to participate in an interview via phone or in person, 6-14 months after their initial clinic visit.  Structured questions were used to investigate whether the survivor received the SCP, and how it was used and shared. Open ended questions evaluated adherence to SCP recommendations and survivors’ feedback on usefulness of the SCP. 

Results:

From October 2017 to September 2018, 62 survivors participated (52% response rate from 119 eligible patients).  Mean time between initial clinic visit and interview was 11months (SD2.7) (range 6.4-18.4months).  Most participants were female (n=42, 68%); median age was 59years (IQR15yrs) (range 33-81yrs). In total, 43/62 (69%) participants acknowledged receiving the SCP, 11 (18%) stated they did not receive one, and 8 (13%) were not sure. Overall, 35 (81%) found it helpful, 4 (9.3%) did not.  Four survivors showed the SCP to other health care professionals; 21/43 (50%) showed it to family or friends.  In total, 39/43 (91%) survivors who received the SCP reported carrying out >1 of the recommendations, in particular increasing exercise and improving diet. 

Conclusion

Most survivors received their SCP and found it useful, but 31% of survivors either did not receive it or did not remember receiving it, highlighting the need to improve SCP delivery. As recruitment continues, this study will provide a better understanding of efficacy and how to improve SCP uptake.