Patients’ Perception of Information and Health-Related Quality of Life 1 Month After Discharge for Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how patients perceive information and their health-related quality of life 1 month after discharge for colorectal cancer surgery. The aim was also to compare these results with the first 2 weeks at home and to identify factors related to the perception of information. One hundred patients from three surgical clinics in the south of Sweden were included in this study. Perception of information was assessed with EORTC QLQ-INFO25, health-related quality of life with QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38, classification of physical status with American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) and sense of coherence with SOC-13. Patients in this study did not receive enough information, and this had not changed significantly since the first 2 weeks at home. Only one subscale about disease information (p = 0.01) had improved since the first 2 weeks at home, while health-related quality of life had improved significantly during the same period. Poorer physical status and living alone were related to a perception of having received less information after discharge. Patients did not receive sufficient information to prepare them for the period at home after discharge, and their perception of information remained during the first month at home. Patients with a poorer preoperative physical status and who live alone constitute a vulnerable group in need of more information at discharge. This enhances the need to individualize the information and to offer multiple ways of accessing information after discharge.

Daily Assessment of Stressful events and Coping in early post-operative recovery after colorectal cancer surgery

“…Lithner et al. (, ) describe the discharge process as unstructured with mostly verbal information, and the patients as having not yet regained their capacity to assimilate information in an early post‐operative recovery state. Since most CRC wards deliver written information, albeit of varying quality and lacking in reader interaction and motivation (Smith et al., ), there might be a need for an approach where, before the operation, patients are encouraged to find and strengthen their capacities rather than just passively assimilate both oral and written information (Fraser & Greenhalgh, ).…”

Topics and structure in preoperative nursing consultations with patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery

“…In the last decade, the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol has been positively evaluated and proven to be best evidence‐based practice during pre‐ and postoperative CRC care, reducing morbidity, mortality and length of stay in hospital. An essential part of the ERAS programme occurs in the preoperative context where the starting point is to give a structured information regarding all concepts included in the programme, for example nutrition, bowel function, mobilisation, so that the patient feel well informed, know what is expected and can actively participate in their own care . An important part of the protocol is to coach the patient throughout the hospital stay to improve recovery .…”

Preoperative Group Consultation Prior to Surgery for Colorectal Cancer—an Explorative Study of a New Patient Education Method

“…Patients with colorectal cancer have been found to lack information on the disease and the treatment [3][4][5]. Patients with poorer physical status as indicated with a higher ASA score, and patients living without a partner, are less satisfied with the information received [3,6].…”

“…Patients with colorectal cancer have been found to lack information on the disease and the treatment [3][4][5]. Patients with poorer physical status as indicated with a higher ASA score, and patients living without a partner, are less satisfied with the information received [3,6]. Preoperative information and education as a method of improving outcomes for treatment of colorectal cancer has seldom been studied, but one study of patients receiving a stoma concluded preoperative education was more effective than the traditional education given postoperative [7].…”