title: Improving breast cancer survivors' knowledge using a patient-centered intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low-income, minority women with breast cancer experience a range of barriers to receiving survivorship information. Our objective was to test a novel, patient-centered intervention aimed at improving communication about survivorship care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a wallet card to provide oncologic and follow-up care survivorship information to breast cancer patients. We used a prospective, pre-post design to assess the intervention at a safety net hospital. The intervention was given by a patient navigator or community health worker.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient knowledge (n = 130) of personal cancer history improved from baseline pretest to 1 week after the intervention for stage (66-93%; P < .05), treatment (79-92%; P < .05), and symptoms of recurrence (48-89%; P < .05), which was retained at 3 months. The intervention reduced the number of patients who were unsure when their mammogram was due (15-5% at 1 week and 6% at 3 months; P < .05). Nearly 90% reported they would be likely to share their survivorship card with their providers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A patient-centered survivorship card improved short-term recall of key survivorship care knowledge and seems to be effective at reducing communication barriers for this population. Further studies are warranted to assess long-term retention and the impact on receipt of appropriate survivorship follow-up care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: julloa@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Jesus G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ulloa
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hemmelgarn
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viveros
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Patience
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odele
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA.
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Center for Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ganz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggard-Gibbons
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*