title: The effect of a nurse led telephone supportive care programme on patients' quality of life, received information and health care contacts after oesophageal cancer surgery-A six month RCT-follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following oesophagectomy, a major surgical procedure, it is known that patients suffer from severely reduced quality of life and have an unmet need for postoperative support. Still, there is a lack of research testing interventions aiming to enhance the patients' life situation after this surgical procedure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a nurse led telephone supportive care programme on quality of life (QOL), received information and the number of healthcare contacts compared to conventional care following oesophageal resection for cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aiming to test the effect of a nurse led telephone supportive care program compared to conventional care. Patient assessments were conducted at discharge, 2 weeks, 2, 4 and 6 months after discharge and comprised evaluation of QOL, received information and the number of health care contacts. Statistical testing were conducted with repeated measurements analysis of variance to test if there were differences between the groups during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that the intervention group was significantly more satisfied with received information for items concerning the information they received about things to do to help yourself, written information and for the global information score. The control group scored significantly higher on the item regarding wishing to receive more information and wish to receive less information. No effect of the intervention was shown on QOL or number of health care contacts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proactive nurse-led telephone follow-up has a significant positive impact on the patients' experience of received information. This is likely to have a positive effect on their ability to cope with a life that may include remaining side effects and adverse symptoms for a long time after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Department of Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Lund University, Sweden. Electronic address: Marlene.Malmstrom@med.lu.se.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.affiliation: Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Lund University, Sweden; Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ivarsson
authors.affiliation: Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rosemarie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klefsgård
authors.affiliation: Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Department of Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: Lund University, Sweden; Center for Primary Health Care Research, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jakobsson
authors.affiliation: Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Department of Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D013689:Telephone
keywords: Esophagus; Follow-up studies; Quality of life