PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Baukje Miedema
AU  - Ian MacDonald
AU  - Sue Tatemichi
TI  - Cancer follow-up care. Patients' perspectives.
DP  - 2003 Jul 01
TA  - Canadian Family Physician
PG  - 890--895
VI  - 49
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/49/7/890.short
4100  - http://www.cfp.ca/content/49/7/890.full
SO  - Can Fam Physician2003 Jul 01; 49
AB  - OBJECTIVE To assess family physicians' and specialists' involvement in cancer follow-up care and how this involvement is perceived by cancer patients. DESIGN Self-administered survey. SETTING A health region in New Brunswick. PARTICIPANTS A nonprobability cluster sample of 183 participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patients' perceptions of cancer follow-up care. RESULTS More than a third of participants (36%) were not sure which physician was in charge of their cancer follow-up care. As part of follow-up care, 80% of participants wanted counseling from their family physicians, but only 20% received it. About a third of participants (32%) were not satisfied with the follow-up care provided by their family physicians. In contrast, only 18% of participants were dissatisfied with the follow-up care provided by specialists. Older participants were more satisfied with cancer follow-up care than younger participants. CONCLUSION Cancer follow-up care is increasingly becoming part of family physicians' practices. Family physicians need to develop an approach that addresses patients' needs, particularly in the area of emotional support.