The usefulness of a multidisciplinary educational programme after breast cancer surgery: a prospective and comparative study.
The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate a multidisciplinary educational programme with traditional follow-up visits to a physician after breast cancer surgery in terms of well-being, aspects of self-care and coping ability 1 year after diagnosis. A reduction in the intensity of follow-up after breast cancer surgery is recommended. New follow-up models are being debated and could be of interest. The study design was non-randomised and comparative. Ninety-six consecutively selected women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, classified as stage I or stage II, participated in either a multidisciplinary educational programme (n=50), or traditional follow-up by a physician (n=46). Three questionnaires were used: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), a study specific questionnaire regarding self-care aspects (SCA) and Sense of Coherence (SOC). With the exception of physical well-being at baseline there was no significant difference between the groups. The women in the multidisciplinary educational programme increased their physical and functional well-being (P<0.01). The women in traditional follow-up by a physician increased their functional well-being while social/family well-being (P<0.01) decreased over time. There was a statistically significant difference in SOC (P<0.001) in the traditional follow-up by a physician between baseline (mean=74.4, SD=12.4) and the 1-year follow up (mean=67.7, SD=11.4). Thus, women in the traditional follow-up by a physician scored lower in the area of SOC 1 year after diagnosis. A multidisciplinary educational programme may be an alternative to traditional follow-up by a physician after breast cancer surgery, but more research is needed about the financial benefits and effectiveness of such a programme.
Department of Research/3D, Varberg Hospital, S-432-81 Varberg, Sweden. inga-lill.koinberg@lthalland.se
IngaLill
I
Koinberg
Ann
A
Langius-Eklöf
Lars
L
Holmberg
Bengt
B
Fridlund
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden