Oncologists' use of patient educational materials about cancer and fertility preservation

Background This study sought to determine the prevalence of distribution of fertility preservation (FP) materials, source of the materials, and providers' perceived relevance of the materials among a sample of US oncologists. Methods A 53‐item survey was administered via mail and the Web to a stratified sample of oncologists from the American Medical Association Masterfile. This study represents a subset of results, reporting on three survey items. Results Among the 511 oncologists (32% response rate), only 13.5% ( n  = 69) reported ‘always or often’ giving their patients educational materials about FP. Among those who reported ever distributing materials, 39.5% used American Cancer Society materials, 11.0% used Fertile Hope, 6.4% used Lance Armstrong Foundation, and 11.8% used ‘other’. Among those who provided materials, only 27.4% believe the FP materials they provide are ‘relevant to patient's specific cancer diagnosis’. Conclusion There is need to improve oncologists' distribution of FP educational materials to patients with cancer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.