A survey in Puglia: the attitudes and opinions of specialists, general physicians and patients on follow-up practice. G.S.Bio.Ca.M.
BACKGROUND
The follow-up for breast cancer patients is a well established routine practice requiring the organization and coordination of many professional figures and a large expenditure of national health funds. To study the problems in practical clinical management of such a complicated health program in a typical population, a questionnaire survey of the opinions and attitudes of specialists, general practitioners and patients directly involved in clinical follow-up was performed in the Puglia region of Southern Italy.


METHODS
A representative sample of specialists (n = 285), general practitioners (n = 263) and patients (n = 284) involved in the management of follow-up practice for breast cancer in Puglia received different questionnaires to ascertain their behaviour, attitudes, opinions, perception of the disease and the organizational requirements for treatment. A total of 57.4% of questionnaires were returned.


CONCLUSIONS
The most important results were: (a) about one-third of cases complained of difficulties in follow-up management due to the lack of cooperation and integration of follow-up procedures among specialists; (b) the general practitioners preferred to have a more active role in follow-up; (c) the patients reported that being managed by more than one physician or living far from follow-up facilities resulted in an inferior quality of life.
Oncology Institute, Experimental and Applied Oncology Laboratory, Bari, Italy.
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A
Paradiso
P
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Nitti
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P
Frezza
N
N
Scorpiglione
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008511:Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires