‘Survivorship care is one big gap’: a qualitative study of post-treatment supportive care in Aotearoa New Zealand

BMC Health Services Research

Research

Karyn Maclennan¹  Richard Egan²  Jerram Bateman² 

[1] Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, PO Box 56, 9054, Dunedin, New Zealand;Social and Behavioural Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 56, 9054, Dunedin, New Zealand;

关键词: Survivorship;    Post-treatment care;    Supportive care;    Service providers;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-023-09580-8

 received in 2022-11-14, accepted in 2023-05-18,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThis study focuses on the provision of supportive care services and programmes for cancer survivors post-treatment in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). It aims to aid our understanding of an often challenging and fragmented phase of cancer survivorship, and lay the groundwork for future research into the development of survivorship care in NZ.MethodsThis study employed a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with a range of healthcare providers (n = 47) involved in service provision for cancer survivors post active treatment, including supportive care providers; clinical and allied health providers; primary health providers; and Māori health providers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsWe found that cancer survivors in NZ face a range of psycho-social and physical issues post-treatment. The provision of supportive care to meet these needs is currently fragmented and inequitable. The key barriers to improved supportive care provision for cancer survivors post-treatment include a lack of capacity and resources within the existing cancer care framework; divergent attitudes to survivorship care within the cancer care workforce; and a lack of clarity around whose responsibility post-treatment survivorship care is.ConclusionsPost-treatment cancer survivorship should be established as a distinct phase of cancer care. Measures could include greater leadership in the survivorship space; the implementation of a survivorship model(s) of care; and the use of survivorship care plans; all of which could help improve referral pathways, and clarify clinical responsibility for post-treatment survivorship care.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023