title: Preventing infections during cancer treatment: development of an interactive patient education website.
abstract: Despite advances in oncology care, infections from both community and healthcare settings remain a major cause of hospitalization and death among patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. Neutropenia (low white blood cell count) is a common and potentially dangerous side effect in patients receiving chemotherapy treatments and may lead to higher risk of infection. Preventing infection during treatment can result in significant decreases in morbidity and mortality for patients with cancer. As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients public health campaign, a public-private partnership was formed between the CDC Foundation and Amgen, Inc. The CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control developed and launched an interactive website, www.PreventCancerInfections.org, designed for patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The site encourages patients to complete a risk assessment for developing neutropenia during their treatment. After completing the assessment, patients receive information about how to lower the risk for infection and keep themselves healthy while receiving chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dunbar
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Danielle Beauchesne
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Westat in Atlanta.
authors.forename: Sonya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shropshire
authors.affiliation: Division of Blood Disorders, CDC.
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004345:Drug Industry; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D014481:United States
keywords: chemotherapy; infection; neutropenia
references.citation: Cancer. 2005 May 1;103(9):1916-24
references.pmid: 15751024
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2006 Jul 1;24(19):3187-205
references.pmid: 16682719
references.citation: Cancer. 2010 Dec 1;116(23):5555-63
references.pmid: 20715160
references.citation: J Cancer Surviv. 2011 Sep;5(3):263-70
references.pmid: 21505861
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 1;26(19):3242-7
references.pmid: 18591559
references.citation: Cancer Invest. 2008 Jul;26(6):647-51
references.pmid: 18584358
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jan 21;(1):CD007107
references.pmid: 19160320
references.citation: Health Educ Behav. 2009 Apr;36(2):278-88
references.pmid: 17620667
references.citation: Prev Chronic Dis. 2004 Oct;1(4):A14
references.pmid: 15670446