Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer

Background and purpose: Cancer may create problems and needs associated with impaired quality of life (QoL). The first health care encounter is important to enable patients to cope and may ultimately impact QoL. The aim of this study was to describe the patients’ experiences of encounters with healt...

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Main Authors: Maria Reinwalds, Charlotta Larsson, Rode Grönkvist, Eva Angenete
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Journals Sweden 2024-11-01
Series:Acta Oncologica
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Online Access:https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaoncologica/article/view/40933
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author Maria Reinwalds
Charlotta Larsson
Rode Grönkvist
Eva Angenete
author_facet Maria Reinwalds
Charlotta Larsson
Rode Grönkvist
Eva Angenete
author_sort Maria Reinwalds
collection DOAJ
description Background and purpose: Cancer may create problems and needs associated with impaired quality of life (QoL). The first health care encounter is important to enable patients to cope and may ultimately impact QoL. The aim of this study was to describe the patients’ experiences of encounters with health care professionals. Another aim was to explore the possible impact that the encounters may have on QoL 1 year after a colon cancer diagnosis. We also wanted to investigate whether patients had received information about treatment related side-effects. Patients and methods: This substudy within the QoLiCOL (Quality of Life in COLon cancer) study included 1687 patients (male n = 876, female n = 811, mean age 71) between 2015 and 2019. Questionnaires were answered at diagnosis and after 1 year. QoL was self-assessed with a seven-point Likert scale. Analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression. Results: A total of 1,550 patients (91.9%) reported feeling well received by health care professionals. We found no statistically significant association with QoL. Patients (87%) reported feeling well informed about their treatment, but few patients recalled having received information regarding potential side effects on bowel or sexual function. Interpretation: Patients with colon cancer generally had a positive experience of the encounter with health care where they felt both well received and well informed. However, the amount of relevant information received was scarce. This indicates that it may be difficult to identify whether patients are properly informed prior to treatment for colon cancer only by asking if they feel well informed.
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spelling doaj-art-eac70faaa3ad4370a4b046fde10fe2c02024-11-15T05:58:03ZengMedical Journals SwedenActa Oncologica1651-226X2024-11-0163110.2340/1651-226X.2024.40933Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancerMaria Reinwalds0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4465-4343Charlotta Larsson1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8871-7783Rode Grönkvist2https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3704-4268Eva Angenete3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9966-4904Department of Surgery, SSORG – Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Department of Surgery, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Surgery, SSORG – Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Department of Surgery, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Surgery, SSORG – Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Surgery, SSORG – Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra, Department of Surgery, Gothenburg, SwedenBackground and purpose: Cancer may create problems and needs associated with impaired quality of life (QoL). The first health care encounter is important to enable patients to cope and may ultimately impact QoL. The aim of this study was to describe the patients’ experiences of encounters with health care professionals. Another aim was to explore the possible impact that the encounters may have on QoL 1 year after a colon cancer diagnosis. We also wanted to investigate whether patients had received information about treatment related side-effects. Patients and methods: This substudy within the QoLiCOL (Quality of Life in COLon cancer) study included 1687 patients (male n = 876, female n = 811, mean age 71) between 2015 and 2019. Questionnaires were answered at diagnosis and after 1 year. QoL was self-assessed with a seven-point Likert scale. Analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression. Results: A total of 1,550 patients (91.9%) reported feeling well received by health care professionals. We found no statistically significant association with QoL. Patients (87%) reported feeling well informed about their treatment, but few patients recalled having received information regarding potential side effects on bowel or sexual function. Interpretation: Patients with colon cancer generally had a positive experience of the encounter with health care where they felt both well received and well informed. However, the amount of relevant information received was scarce. This indicates that it may be difficult to identify whether patients are properly informed prior to treatment for colon cancer only by asking if they feel well informed. https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaoncologica/article/view/40933Colon cancerquality of lifeinformationhealth care encounterspatient experiencesPREM
spellingShingle Maria Reinwalds
Charlotta Larsson
Rode Grönkvist
Eva Angenete
Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
Acta Oncologica
Colon cancer
quality of life
information
health care encounters
patient experiences
PREM
title Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
title_full Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
title_fullStr Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
title_full_unstemmed Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
title_short Patient reported experiences of health care, quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
title_sort patient reported experiences of health care quality of life and preoperative information in colon cancer
topic Colon cancer
quality of life
information
health care encounters
patient experiences
PREM
url https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaoncologica/article/view/40933
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AT rodegronkvist patientreportedexperiencesofhealthcarequalityoflifeandpreoperativeinformationincoloncancer
AT evaangenete patientreportedexperiencesofhealthcarequalityoflifeandpreoperativeinformationincoloncancer