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Background:Continuity is an important aspect of cancer care that is often a challenge owing to the movement of patients between family practice, cancer clinics, and hospitals. Objectives: To investigate the experiences of cancer patients in relation to continuity of care. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in a family practice setting. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. 10 cancer patients with a wide variation in their disease duration and experiences with medical care were interviewed. Open questions were used to encourage patients to express their personal experiences with cancer care. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed by three researchers using thematic analysis. Results: Cancer patients experienced a lack of information concerning cancer and its treatment. They also perceived that the cancer treatment made them suff er. In the patients ' opinion, the family doctor has a limited role in cancer care. However, the patients felt that the family doctor should be aware of their health. The patients ' satisfaction with the oncologist ' s care was high. They considered that their role in cancer care was to mediate an exchange of information between the oncologist and the family doctor. Conclusion:Cancer patients experience continuity of care in several ways: continuity in cancer care should be implemented by co-ordinating activities, such as regular check-ups, a clear timeframe and provision of adequate information. In addition, communication between the primary and secondary sector could be improved.

BackgroundDepression is a frequent psychiatric disorder, and depressive patient may be more problematic for the family doctors (FD) than a patient suffering from a somatic disease. Treatment of patients with depressive disorders is a relatively new task for Estonian FDs. The aim of our study was to find out the family doctors' attitudes to depression related problems, their readiness, motivating factors and problems in the treatment of depressive patients as well as the existence of relevant knowledge.MethodsIn 2002, altogether 500 FDs in Estonia were invited to take part in a tailor-made questionnaire survey, of which 205 agreed to participate.ResultsOf the respondents 185(90%) considered management of depressive patients and their treatment to be the task of FDs. One hundred and eighty FDs (88%) were themselves ready to deal with depressed patients, and 200(98%) of them actually treated such patients. Commitment to the interests of the patients, better cooperation with successfully treated patients, the patients' higher confidence in FDs and disappearance of somatic complaints during the treatment of depression were the motivating factors for FDs. FDs listed several important problems interfering with their work with depressive patients: limited time for one patient, patients' attitudes towards the diagnosis of depression, doctors' difficulties to change the underlying causes of depression, discontinuation of the treatment due to high expenses and length. Although 115(56%) respondents maintained that they had sufficient knowledge for diagnostics and treatment of depression, 181(88%) were of the opinion that they needed additional training.ConclusionFDs are ready to manage patients who might suffer from depression and are motivated by good doctor-patient relationship. However, majority of them feel that they need additional training.