title: Survivorship care plans: prevalence and barriers to use.
abstract: Survivorship care plans (SCPs) are intended to educate survivors and providers about survivors' transition from cancer treatment to follow-up care. Using a survey of 23 cancer programs in the South Atlantic United States, we (1) describe the prevalence and barriers to SCP use and (2) assess relationships between SCP use and (a) barriers and (b) cancer program characteristics. Most cancer programs (86 %) reported some SCP use; however, less than a quarter of cancer programs' providers had ever used an SCP. The majority (61 %) began using SCPs because of professional societies' recommendations. Key barriers to SCP use were insufficient organizational resources (75 %) and systems for SCP use. We found patterns in SCP use across location, program type, and professional society membership. Most cancer programs have adopted SCPs, but use remains inconsistent. Efforts to promote SCP use should address barriers, particularly in cancer programs that are susceptible to barriers to SCP use.
authors.affiliation: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1107A McGavran-Greenberg Hall, #7411, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7411, USA. sarah1@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Birken
authors.forename: Deborah K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Bryan J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Weiner
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000570:American Cancer Society; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015144:Southeastern United States; D015996:Survival Rate; D014600:Utilization Review