Health professionals’ perceptions of colorectal cancer patients’ treatment burden and their supportive work to ameliorate the burden - a qualitative study

Abstract

Background Support is pivotal for patients in managing colorectal cancer treatment, as they might be overwhelmed by the burden of treatment. There is scarce knowledge regarding health professionals’ perceptions of colorectal cancer patients’ burden in the treatment trajectory during the hospital stay and their views on supportive factors that may ameliorate the burden. Aim The aim of the study was to describe how health professionals perceive aspects of the treatment burden among patients receiving curative surgical treatment for colorectal cancer during the hospital stay and how they support patients to ameliorate the burden. Methods This study has an explorative, qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews with nine health professionals recruited from a university hospital. Data were systematised and coded by systematic text condensation.Results: Data analysis identified the themes “capturing patients’ burdens of colorectal cancer treatment” and “health professionals’ support to ameliorate the burden”. Patients with colorectal cancer had to face burdens related to a challenging emotional situation, treatment complications and side effects, and an extensive need for information. A trusting patient-carer relationship was therefore perceived as the essence of health professionals’ support. Health professionals focused their support on safeguarding patients, motivating patients to self-manage, and involving family and peers as supporters. Patients’ journey characteristics and illness severity challenged health professionals’ supportive work. Conclusion Support from health professionals includes providing patients emotional support and relevant treatment-related information and motivating patients for early post-surgical mobilisation. Health professionals should thus be aware of identifying colorectal cancer patients’ information needs according to the specific treatment stages, which may ameliorate the burden of colorectal cancer treatment and enable patients to self-manage at home.

Cancer‐related fatigue and treatment burden in surgically treated colorectal cancer patients – A cross‐sectional study

“…In our 2020 paper on treatment burden in the same sample of CRC patients, no significant correlations were found between comorbidity and treatment burden (Husebø et al, 2020). However, the current study confirms that comorbidity in CRC patients with CRF may complicate self‐management tasks of monitoring health, indicating that the presence of CRF increases the burden from monitoring health.…”

“…Furthermore, younger CRC patients may have more occupational and family responsibilities than older patients, which can potentially increase fatigue. Including the patient's nearest family and provide them with information adapted to the recipient's age and family role is a concern of nurses who care for CRC surgery patients (Husebø et al, 2020). Moreover, it is recommended to employ PROMs that include employment and caring for dependants when assessing cancer patients' social well‐being (Catt et al, 2017).…”

Addressing colon cancer patients’ needs during follow-up consultations at the outpatient clinic: a multicenter qualitative observational study

“…Many patients experience persistent symptoms long after treatment completion [3,4] and contact both their oncology specialist and general practitioner (GP) with their questions and problems relating to colon cancer or its treatment [5][6][7]. Healthcare providers have different strategies for dealing with the repercussions of cancer and for attending to their patients' needs [8].…”