Preparedness for colorectal cancer surgery and recovery through a person-centred information and communication intervention – A quasi-experimental longitudinal design
Journal article, 2019

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. To meet patients’ information and communication needs over time in order to improve their recovery is particularly challenging for patients undergoing cancer surgery. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether an intervention with a person-centred approach to information and communication for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer undergoing surgery can improve the patients’ preparedness for surgery, discharge and recovery during six months following diagnosis and initial treatment. The intervention components involving a novel written interactive patient education material and person-centred communication was based on critical analysis of conventional information and communication for these patients. During 2014–2016, 488 consecutive patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer were enrolled in a quasi-experimental longitudinal study. In three hospitals, first a conventional care group (n = 250) was recruited, then the intervention was introduced, and finally the intervention group was recruited (n = 238). Patients’ trajectories of preparedness for surgery and recovery (Preparedness for Colorectal Cancer Surgery Questionnaire—PCSQ) health related quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) and distress (NCCS Distress Thermometer) were evaluated based on self-reported data at five time points, from pre-surgery to 6 months. Length of hospital stay and patients’ behavior in seeking health care pre- and post-surgery were extracted from patient records. Longitudinal structural equation models were used to test the hypothesized effects over time. Statistically significant positive effects were detected for two of the four PCSQ domains (patients searching for and making use of information, and making sense of the recovery) and for the role functioning domain of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Patients in the intervention group were also more likely to contact their assigned cancer “contact nurse” (a.k.a. nurse navigator) instead of contacting a nurse on duty at the ward or visiting the emergency department. In conclusion, the overall hypothesis was not confirmed. Further research is recommended on written and oral support tools to facilitate person-centred communication.

general surgery

laparoscopy

laparoscopic colorectal

Author

Joakim Öhlén

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

University of Gothenburg

Richard Sawatzky

Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences

University of Gothenburg

Trinity Western University

Monica Pettersson

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

University of Gothenburg

Elisabeth Kenne Sarenmalm

Skaraborg Hospital

University of Gothenburg

Cecilia Larsdotter

Sophiahemmet University

Frida Smith

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Service Management and Logistics

Catarina Wallengren

University of Gothenburg

Febe Friberg

University of Stavanger

Karl Kodeda

University of Gothenburg

Eva Carlsson

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

University of Gothenburg

PLoS ONE

1932-6203 (ISSN) 19326203 (eISSN)

Vol. 14 12 e0225816

Subject Categories

Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy

Surgery

Nursing

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0225816

PubMed

31830066

More information

Latest update

10/10/2022