Abstract
Background: Optimal risk-based survivor health care includes surveillance for late effects and education targeted at reducing or preventing risky health behaviors. Understanding the reasons for a lack of risk-based follow-up care is essential. Methods: Adult participants from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were surveyed about having a cancer-related visit in the past 2 years and the likelihood of having a cancer-related visit in the future. Additional factors thought to be related to the primary outcomes were also assessed. Results: Nine hundred seventy-five survivors completed the survey. Twenty-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 24%-30%) had a cancer-related medical visit in the previous 2 years, and 41% (95% CI, 38%-44%) planned to have such a visit within the next 2 years. The likelihood of having had a cancer-related visit within the last 2 years was higher among survivors assigning greater importance to these visits (relative risk [RR], 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), perceiving greater susceptibility to health problems (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3), having a moderate to life-threatening chronic health problem related to their cancer (RR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.7-2.7), seeing a primary care provider for a cancer-related problem (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), having a cancer treatment summary (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6), and endorsing greater confidence in physicians' abilities to address questions and concerns (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0-1.3). Conclusions: Educational interventions improving awareness of treatment history and susceptibility to cancer-related late effects and corresponding risk-based care are likely to be beneficial for survivors of childhood cancers.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 619-627 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Cancer |
Volume | 126 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1 2020 |
Keywords
- barriers
- cancer survivor
- childhood cancer
- risk-based care
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research