A study of the remote continuity of care intervention model in the follow-up of patients with thyroid cancer

Abstract

Abstract Objective This study aimed to investigate the impact of "Remote continuity of care intervention model " on the follow-up of postoperative thyroid cancer patients. Methods Between November 2021 and August 2022, a total of 404 thyroid cancer patients, who had undergone surgical treatment in the Department of Thyroid Surgery at a comprehensive tertiary-level hospital in Changsha, were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group, with each group consisting of 202 cases. The experimental group adopted the " Remote continuity of care intervention model " for follow-up, while the control group followed traditional nursing procedures. Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire, adverse reactions, and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups before and after 3 months of intervention. Results Of the 202 patients in the experimental group and 202 patients in the control group who completed the study, no significant differences were observed in general information, SAS, SDS scores, and dimensions of quality of life before the intervention (P༞0.05). After the intervention, the experimental group exhibited: 1. Lower anxiety and depression levels, with total SAS and SDS scores significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). 2. Improved quality of life, with higher scores in cognitive, emotional, somatic, social, and role functioning dimensions compared to the control group (P < 0.05). 3. Fewer adverse reactions, with significantly lower rates of panic, excessive sweating, digestive function abnormalities, and no abnormal symptoms in the experimental group (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in adverse reactions in the form of insomnia, fatigue, weakness, and numbness of the limbs (P > 0.1). Conclusion " Remote continuity of care intervention model " can effectively reduce anxiety and depression levels in post-surgical thyroid cancer patients, lower the incidence of adverse reactions, and enhance overall patient quality of life.