title: Preparedness and Cancer-Related Symptom Management among Cancer Survivors in the First Year Post-Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many cancer survivors feel unprepared for the physical and psychosocial challenges that accompany the post-treatment care transition (i.e., re-entry phase), including management of cancer-related symptoms. Few studies have investigated personal and contextual factors associated with the extent of preparedness for re-entry or how they are related to cancer-related symptom management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Data from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Survivor Transition Study examined (1) characteristics of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors (n = 1188) within the first year of completing treatment who are most and least prepared for re-entry; and (2) how preparedness level and other characteristics are related to cancer-related symptom management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stanton and colleagues' [1] conceptual model of survivorship guided the selection of interpersonal/environmental, individual, and disease/treatment-related characteristics as potential contributors to levels of preparedness and cancer-related symptom management using regression tree and multivariate linear regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survivors, on average, felt moderately prepared for the transition to post-treatment care. Lowest levels of preparedness were found among survivors with relatively high depressive symptoms, low perceived quality of oncology-provided survivorship care, and limited discussion about potential side effects with a health professional. Poorer symptom management was associated with younger age, having more comorbid conditions, and lower preparedness, social support, and spirituality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survivors who feel unprepared for the transition to post-treatment care report poorer cancer-related symptom management. Identification of factors associated with low perceived preparedness and poor cancer-related symptom management will assist in risk stratification and development of tailored interventions to meet the needs of cancer survivors during re-entry.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, 250 Williams St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA. corinne.leach@cancer.org.
authors.forename: Corinne R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Research Center, American Cancer Society, 250 Williams St, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
authors.forename: Alyssa N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Troeschel
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wiatrek
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry/Biobehavioral Sciences, Los Angeles and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: Annette L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Urology, Northwell Health and the Hofstra Medical School at Northwell Health, Hempstead, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diefenbach
authors.affiliation: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Cancer Control, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.affiliation: Statistics and Evaluation Center, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Portier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D000073278:Self-Management / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality
keywords: Cancer survivor; Patient-reported outcomes; Preparedness; Symptom management