Acceptability of a virtual prostate cancer survivorship care model in rural Australia: A multi‐methods, single‐centre feasibility pilot

Abstract

AbstractDesignA multi‐methods, single‐centre pilot comprising a quasi‐experimental pre‐/post‐test design and an exploratory qualitative study.SettingA rural Australian hospital and health service.ParticipantsMen newly diagnosed with localised prostate cancer who were scheduled to undergo, or had undergone, radical or robotic prostatectomy surgery within the previous 3 months.InterventionThe intervention comprised a 12‐week virtual care program delivered via teleconference by a specialist nurse, using a pre‐existing connected care platform. The program was tailored to the post‐operative recovery journey targeting post‐operative care, psychoeducation, problem‐solving and goal setting.Main Outcome MeasuresPrimary outcome: program acceptability.Secondary outcomes: quality of life; prostate cancer‐related distress; insomnia severity; fatigue severity; measured at baseline (T1); immediately post‐intervention (T2); and 12 weeks post‐intervention (T3).ResultsSeventeen participants completed the program. The program intervention showed very high levels (≥4/5) of acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility. At T1, 47% (n = 8) of men reported clinically significant psychological distress, which had significantly decreased by T3 (p = 0.020). There was a significant improvement in urinary irritative/obstructive symptoms (p = 0.030) and a corresponding decrease in urinary function burden (p = 0.005) from T1 to T3.ConclusionsThis pilot has shown that a tailored nurse‐led virtual care program, incorporating post‐surgical follow‐up and integrated low‐intensity psychosocial care, is both acceptable to rural participants and feasible in terms of implementation and impact on patient outcomes.