Views of Breast and Colorectal Cancer Survivors on Their Routine Follow-Up Care

Abstract

Objective: Our understanding of optimum health care delivery for cancer survivors is limited by the lack of a patient-centred perspective. The objectives of the present study were to explore the views of breast and colorectal cancer survivors on their routine follow-up care, with respect to needs, preferences, and quality of follow-up, and their views on cancer specialist– compared with family physician (FP)–led follow-up care. Methods: In Nova Scotia, Canada, 23 cancer survivors (13 breast, 10 colorectal) participated in either a focus group or a one-on-one interview. Participants were asked to reflect upon their lives as cancer survivors and on the type and quality of care and support they received during the follow-up period. Each focus group or interview was transcribed verbatim, and the transcripts were audited and subjected to a thematic analysis. Results: Six themes were identified: (1) My care is my responsibility; (2) How I receive information on follow-up care; (3) I have many care needs; (4) I want to be prepared and informed; (5) The role of my FP in my cancer experience and follow-up care; (6) The role of media Survivors often characterized the post–primary treatment experience as lacking in information and preparation for follow-up and providing inadequate support to address many of the care needs prevalent in survivor populations. Despite valuing fp participation in follow-up care, many survivors continued to receive comfort and reassurance from specialist care. Conclusions: Our findings point to the need to implement strategies that better prepare breast cancer and colorectal cancer survivors for post-treatment care and that reassure survivors of the ability of their FP to provide quality care during this period.