Population-Level Trends in Posttreatment Cancer Survivors’ Concerns and Associated Receipt of Care: Results from the 2006 and 2010 LIVESTRONG Surveys

Abstract

There is a need to better understand the post-treatment concerns of the nearly 14 million cancer survivors alive in the United States today and their receipt of care. Methods Using data from 2910 post-treatment cancer survivors from the 2006 or 2010 LIVESTRONG Surveys, we examined physical, emotional, and practical concerns, receipt of care, and trends in these outcomes at the population level. Results 89% of respondents reported at least one physical concern (67% received associated post-treatment care); 90% reported at least one emotional concern (47% received care); and 45% reported at least one practical concern (36% received care). Female survivors, younger survivors, those who received more intensive treatment, and survivors without health insurance often reported a higher burden of post-treatment concerns though were less likely to have received post-treatment care. Conclusions These results reinforce the importance of post-treatment survivorship and underscore the need for continued progress in meeting the needs of this population. Efforts to increase the availability of survivorship care are extremely important to improve the chances of people affected by cancer living as well as possible in the post-treatment period.

Sick leave and disability pension in Hodgkin lymphoma survivors by stage, treatment, and follow-up time—a population-based comparative study

“…In light of the growing evidence of the need for cancer survivorship care [32] and work rehabilitation, studies such as ours can help identify groups expected to have the largest needs of rehabilitation [33] and thereby to implement survivorship care into oncology practice [34]. Multidisciplinary interventions should involve physical, psychological, and vocational components and promote a healthy work environment/ lifestyle [35][36][37].…”

Cancer survivors’ receipt of treatment summaries and implications for patient-centered communication and quality of care

“…Despite evidence that psychosocial concerns are exceedingly common in the post-treatment period 26 , communication about psychosocial needs between survivors and providers frequently does not occur 27,28 , perhaps because comprehensive survivorship care plans often fail to address the emotional aspects of follow-up care 11 and there is no consensus about who should provide psychosocial care 29 . Ensuring that survivors feel their emotions are adequately addressed is an important aspect of patient-centered survivorship care, but a function that may not be improved with increased provision of treatment summaries.…”

Anxiety and Depression in Cancer Survivors

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