title: Providing written information increases patient satisfaction: a web-based questionnaire survey of Japanese cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the United States recommends that all cancer survivors be provided with a survivorship care plan (SCP), which includes a patient treatment summary and a follow-up care plan. However, SCPs have not been widely adopted in Japan. To provide basic data necessary for implementing SCPs in Japan, we aimed to investigate the forms of clinical and survivorship-related information that Japanese cancer survivors receive from their healthcare providers, and to examine whether written information increases their satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional online survey of cancer survivors who underwent acute cancer treatment and had at least one follow-up with a physician in the past year. Cancer survivors provided the elements and forms (verbally and/or written) of information they received, as well as the degree of satisfaction with the information provided.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were obtained from 545 cancer survivors. Information elements such as surgical procedure (98.3%), surgical outcome (98.1%), and names of administered chemotherapy agents (97.8%) were commonly provided, whereas mental care resources and providers (29.7%), effects on marital relationship and sexual health (35.7%), and effects on fertility (43.4%) were less common. A large proportion of cancer survivors received verbal information only. For 18 of 20 elements, except for effects on fertility and duration of hormonal therapy, satisfaction was significantly higher when both forms of information were provided (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing written and verbal explanations of clinical and survivorship-related information can better meet the needs of Japanese cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital.
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Survivorship Research, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States
keywords: survivorship care; survivorship care plan; written information