Abstract
Background
Primary care providers (PCPs) are critical to the provision of comprehensive care for cancer survivors, yet there is very little data on the practices and quality of survivorship care occurring in safety net primary care settings. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of PCPs and preferences for care models for breast and colon cancer survivors in a safety net health network.
Methods
A modified National Cancer Institute Survey of Physician Attitudes Regarding the Care of Cancer Survivors was sent electronically to 220 PCPs in 12 primary care clinics in the San Francisco Health Network affiliated with Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
Results
The response rate was 50% (110/220). About half of PCPs strongly/somewhat agreed (vs. strongly/somewhat disagreed) that PCPs have the knowledge needed to provide follow-up care related to breast (50%) and colon cancer (54%). Most providers (93%) correctly reported recommended frequency of mammography, however, frequency of blood tests and other imaging surveillance were not as well recognized for breast or colon cancer. Recognition of long-term side effects of chemotherapy drugs ranged from 12% for oxaliplatin to 44% for doxorubicin. Only 33% of providers reported receiving any survivorship training. The most preferred model for survivorship care was shared care model (40%).
Conclusions
Safety net PCPs prefer a shared care model for care of cancer survivors but are limited by lack of training, poor communication, and poor delineation of roles. Patient-centered survivorship care can be improved through effective oncologist-PCP-patient partnerships and coordination.
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The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Funding
This study was funded by Center of Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC) Scholars grant from the National Institute of Aging, grant no. P30 AG15272; National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health” under award Number UL1TR001105; and the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Sarkar was supported by K24 CA212294-01, National Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health.
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Dixit, N., Burke, N., Rodriguez, G. et al. Knowledge and self-efficacy for caring for breast and colon cancer survivors among safety net primary care providers. Support Care Cancer 28, 4923–4931 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-05277-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-05277-z