Premium
Parents' preferences for the organisation of long‐term follow‐up of childhood cancer survivors
Author(s) -
Vetsch J.,
Rueegg C.S.,
Mader L.,
Bergstraesser E.,
Diezi M.,
Kuehni C.E.,
Michel G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ecc.12649
Subject(s) - medicine , likert scale , family medicine , multidisciplinary approach , preference , childhood cancer , cancer , pediatrics , social science , statistics , mathematics , sociology , economics , microeconomics
Parents take an important role in follow‐up of young cancer survivors. We aimed to investigate (1) parents' preferences for organisation of follow‐up (including content, specialists involved and models of care), and (2) parents' and children's characteristics predicting preference for generalist vs. specialist‐led follow‐up. We sent a questionnaire to parents of childhood cancer survivors aged 11–17 years. We assessed on a 4‐point Likert scale (1–4), parents' preferences for organisation of long‐term follow‐up. Proposed models were: telephone/questionnaire, general practitioner ( GP ) (both categorised as generalist for regression analysis); and paediatric oncologist, medical oncologist or multidisciplinary team ( MDT ) (categorised as specialists). Of 284 contacted parents, 189 responded (67%). Parents welcomed if visits included checking for cancer recurrence (mean = 3.89), late effects screening (mean = 3.79), taking patients seriously (mean = 3.86) and competent staff (mean = 3.85). The preferred specialists were paediatric oncologists (mean = 3.73). Parents valued the paediatric oncologist model of care (mean = 3.49) and the MDT model (mean = 3.14) highest. Parents of children not attending clinic‐based follow‐up ( OR = 2.97, p = .009) and those visiting a generalist ( OR = 4.23, p = .007) favoured the generalist‐led model. Many parents preferred a clinic‐based model of follow‐up by paediatric oncologists or a MDT. However, parents also valued the follow‐up care model according to which their child is followed up.