Perceptions of care after end-of-treatment among younger women with different gynecologic cancer diagnoses: a qualitative analysis of written responses submitted via a surveyShow others and affiliations
2020 (English)In: BMC Women's Health, E-ISSN 1472-6874, Vol. 20, p. 1-9, article id 276Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
BACKGROUND: Less attention has been given to younger adults' psycho-oncology care needs than to children and older adults with cancer. The aim was to explore how care following end-of-treatment was perceived by women treated for different gynecologic cancer diagnoses during younger adulthood.
METHODS: A sample of 207 women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer 2008 to 2016, aged 19-39 at time of diagnosis answered one open-ended question regarding important aspects of care after end-of-treatment. The written responses were analyzed with manifest content analysis and presented in relation to the women's diagnoses, i.e., cervical (n = 130), ovarian (n = 57), and other gynecologic cancer diagnoses (n = 20).
RESULTS: The analysis resulted in three categories: Unmet long-term supportive care needs, Satisfying long-term supportive care, and Health care organizational difficulties. Over half of the women (66.7%) described unmet care needs. The corresponding figures were 80.7, 63.1 and 50% for women diagnosed with ovarian, cervical and other gynecologic cancer diagnoses, respectively. Satisfying supportive care were described by approximately one quarter of the women (26.1%). Among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer 14% described satisfying supportive care. The corresponding figures were 26.9 and 30% for women diagnosed with cervical cancer and other gynecological diagnoses, respectively. Approximately one quarter of the women, irrespectively of diagnosis, described aspects related to health care organizational difficulties (28%).
CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of good quality care linked to the diagnosis and based on an understanding of the woman's need, desire and expectation of support after end-of-treatment.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2020. Vol. 20, p. 1-9, article id 276
Keywords [en]
Cancer, Gynecologic, Oncology, Quality of life, Survivorship, Young adult
National Category
Nursing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-8560DOI: 10.1186/s12905-020-01133-zPubMedID: 33353541OAI: oai:DiVA.org:esh-8560DiVA, id: diva2:1517158
2021-01-132021-01-132023-08-28Bibliographically approved