Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/91296
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | What sort of follow-up services would Australian breast cancer survivors prefer if we could no longer offer long-term specialist-based care? A discrete choice experiment |
Author: | Bessen, T. Chen, G. Street, J. Eliott, J. Karnon, J. Keefe, D. Ratcliffe, J. |
Citation: | British Journal of Cancer, 2014; 110(4):859-867 |
Publisher: | Cancer Research UK |
Issue Date: | 2014 |
ISSN: | 1532-1827 1532-1827 |
Statement of Responsibility: | T Bessen, G Chen, J Street, J Eliott, J Karnon, D Keefe and J Ratcliffe |
Abstract: | Background: Early diagnosis and improved treatment outcomes have increased breast cancer survival rates that, in turn, have led to increased numbers of women undergoing follow-up after completion of primary treatment. The current workload growth is unsustainable for breast cancer specialists who also provide care for women newly diagnosed or with a recurrence. Appropriate and acceptable follow-up care is important; yet, currently we know little about patient preferences. The aim of this study was to explore the preferences of Australian breast cancer survivors for alternative modes of delivery of follow-up services. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire (online or paper) was developed. The questionnaire contained a discrete choice experiment (DCE) designed to explore patient preferences with respect to provider, location, frequency and method of delivery of routine follow-up care in years 3, 4 and 5 after diagnosis, as well as the perceived value of ‘drop-in’ clinics providing additional support. Participants were recruited throughout Australia over a 6-month period from May to October 2012. Preference scores and choice probabilities were used to rank the top 10 most preferred follow-up scenarios for respondents. Results: A total of 836 women participated in the study, of whom 722 (86.4%) completed the DCE. In the absence of specialist follow-up, the 10 most valued surveillance scenarios all included a Breast Physician as the provider of follow-up care. The most preferred scenario is a face-to-face local breast cancer follow-up clinic held every 6 months and led by a Breast Physician, where additional clinics focused on the side effects of treatment are also provided. Conclusion: Beyond the first 2 years from diagnosis, in the absence of a specialist led follow-up, women prefer to have their routine breast cancer follow-up by a Breast Physician (or a Breast Cancer Nurse) in a dedicated local breast cancer clinic, rather than with their local General Practitioner. Drop-in clinics for the management of treatment related side effects and to provide advice to both develop and maintain good health are also highly valued by breast cancer survivors. |
Keywords: | breast cancer; follow-up; discrete choice experiment; patient preferences |
Description: | Published online 14 January 2014 |
Rights: | © 2014 Cancer Research UK. All rights reserved. From twelve months after its original publication, this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
RMID: | 0030019562 |
DOI: | 10.1038/bjc.2013.800 |
Grant ID: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565501 |
Published version: | http://www.nature.com/bjc/index.html |
Appears in Collections: | Medicine publications |
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hdl_91296.pdf | Published version | 241.43 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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