title: Cancer survivors' preference for follow-up care providers: a cross-sectional study from the population-based PROFILES-registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The best practice for the organization of follow-up care in oncology is under debate, due to growing numbers of cancer survivors. Understanding survivors' preferences for follow-up care is elementary for designing patient-centred care. Based on data from prostate cancer and melanoma survivors, this study aims to identify: 1) preferences for follow-up care providers, for instance the medical specialist, the oncology nurse or the general practitioner; 2) characteristics associated with these preferences and 3) the preferred care provider to discuss cancer-related problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survivors diagnosed with prostate cancer (N = 535) and melanoma (N = 232) between 2007 and 2013 as registered in The Netherlands Cancer Registry returned a questionnaire (response rate was 71% and 69%, respectively). A latent class cluster model analysis was used to define preferences and a multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify survivor-related characteristics associated with these preferences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all survivors, 29% reported no preference, 40% reported a preference for the medical specialist, 20% reported a preference for both the medical specialist and the general practitioner and 11% reported a preference for both the medical specialist and the oncology nurse. Survivors who were older, lower/intermediate educated and women were more likely to have a preference for the medical specialist. Lower educated survivors were less likely to have a preference for both the medical specialist and the general practitioner. Overall, survivors prefer to discuss diet, physical fitness and fatigue with the general practitioner, and hereditary and recurrence with the medical specialist. Only a small minority favored to discuss cancer-related problems with the oncology nurse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survivors reported different preferences for follow-up care providers based on age, education level, gender and satisfaction with the general practitioner, showing a need for tailored follow-up care in oncology. The results indicate an urgency to educate patients about transitions in follow-up care.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research , Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lotte J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Huibertse
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research , Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization , Utrecht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mies
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Eenbergen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research , Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization , Utrecht , The Netherlands.|b CoRPS - Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Belle H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: de Rooij
authors.affiliation: c Department of Dermatology , Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital , Tilburg , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bastiaens
authors.affiliation: d Department of Urology , Maxima Medical Center , Eindhoven , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laurent M C L
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fossion
authors.affiliation: e Department of Urology , Elkerliek Hospital , Helmond , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rob B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.affiliation: f Department of Urology , Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital , Tilburg , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Paul J M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kil
authors.affiliation: g Department of Urology , Catharina Hospital , Eindhoven , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Evert L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Koldewijn
authors.affiliation: h Department of Urology , VieCuri Hospital , Venlo , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A H P
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: i Department of Dermatology , St Anna Hospital , Geldrop , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roland J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mommers
authors.affiliation: j Department of Urology , Bernhoven Hospital , Uden , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A Q
authors.initials: AQ
authors.lastname: Niemer
authors.affiliation: k Department of Urology , Jeroen Bosch Hospital , Den Bosch , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jorg R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Oddens
authors.affiliation: l Department of Urology , Amphia Hospital , Breda , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric H G M
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Oomens
authors.affiliation: m Department of Dermatology , Maxima Medical Center , Eindhoven , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.affiliation: n DermaPark , Uden , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kees-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: de Roos
authors.affiliation: o Department of Dermatology , Maastricht University Medical Center , Maastricht , The Netherlands.|p Department of Dermatology , Catharina Hospital , Eindhoven , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monique R T M
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thissen
authors.affiliation: q Department of Dermatology , Bernhoven Hospital , Uden , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martine W H
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.affiliation: f Department of Urology , Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital , Tilburg , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Wijsman
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research , Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization , Utrecht , The Netherlands.|b CoRPS - Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , The Netherlands.|r Division of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology , The Netherlands Cancer Institute , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lonneke V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: van de Poll-Franse
authors.affiliation: a Department of Research , Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization , Utrecht , The Netherlands.|b CoRPS - Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Tilburg University , Tilburg , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nicole P M
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Ezendam
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D057240:Patient Preference; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries; D017741:Survivors