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The relationship between patients' experiences of continuity of cancer care and health outcomes: a mixed methods study

The relationship between patients' experiences of continuity of cancer care and health outcomes: a mixed methods study
The relationship between patients' experiences of continuity of cancer care and health outcomes: a mixed methods study
It is difficult to define continuity of care or study its impact on health outcomes. This study took place in three stages. In stage I we conducted qualitative research with patients, their close relatives and friends, and their key health professionals from which we derived a number of self completion statements about experienced continuity that were tested for reliability and internal consistency. A valid and reliable 18-item measure of experienced continuity was developed in stage II. In stage III we interviewed 199 patients with cancer up to five times over 12 months to ascertain whether their experiences of continuity were associated with their health needs, psychological status, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. The qualitative data revealed that experienced continuity involved receiving consistent time and attention, knowing what to expect in the future, coping between service contacts, managing family consequences, and believing nothing has been overlooked. Transitions between phases of treatment were not associated with changes in experienced continuity. However, higher experienced continuity predicted lower needs for care, after adjustment for other potential explanatory factors (standardised regression coefficients ranging from ?0.12 (95% CI ?0.20, ?0.05) to ?0.32 (95% CI ?0.41, ?0.23)). Higher experienced continuity may be linked to lower health care needs in the future.
continuity of care, cohort study, cancer, service delivery, transitions in care
0007-0920
529-536
King, M.
aba8e88c-72f5-402a-9c29-0212b60351b4
Jones, L.
b873ef7a-7df0-4411-9287-b35c45663770
Richardson, A.
3db30680-aa47-43a5-b54d-62d10ece17b7
Murad, S.
f50bd592-0052-444e-8d4d-5f956ea8e031
Irving, A.
38689053-c4bb-4a5e-a9f0-7e0aaba5cb55
Aslett, H.
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Ramsay, A.
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Coelho, H.
e0af2e00-b3e1-490a-8ea9-ea9a214cec08
Andreou, P.
7a909c2a-14c1-42a5-b1b4-a5812b6da97f
Tookman, A.
e30b9cc3-77f3-4e6e-b2aa-82865f9d0d42
Mason, C.
96d4c14b-4e0d-45fb-8775-dfc81b9a895a
Nazareth, I.
7272539e-1090-4a10-9421-9d7afd68c568
King, M.
aba8e88c-72f5-402a-9c29-0212b60351b4
Jones, L.
b873ef7a-7df0-4411-9287-b35c45663770
Richardson, A.
3db30680-aa47-43a5-b54d-62d10ece17b7
Murad, S.
f50bd592-0052-444e-8d4d-5f956ea8e031
Irving, A.
38689053-c4bb-4a5e-a9f0-7e0aaba5cb55
Aslett, H.
67e05efc-c481-4642-bb8e-8f9e3a56a2a5
Ramsay, A.
0e2096ca-97cc-486c-afd3-3887cebb62be
Coelho, H.
e0af2e00-b3e1-490a-8ea9-ea9a214cec08
Andreou, P.
7a909c2a-14c1-42a5-b1b4-a5812b6da97f
Tookman, A.
e30b9cc3-77f3-4e6e-b2aa-82865f9d0d42
Mason, C.
96d4c14b-4e0d-45fb-8775-dfc81b9a895a
Nazareth, I.
7272539e-1090-4a10-9421-9d7afd68c568

King, M., Jones, L., Richardson, A., Murad, S., Irving, A., Aslett, H., Ramsay, A., Coelho, H., Andreou, P., Tookman, A., Mason, C. and Nazareth, I. (2008) The relationship between patients' experiences of continuity of cancer care and health outcomes: a mixed methods study. British Journal of Cancer, 98 (3), 529-536. (doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6604164). (PMID:18231111)

Record type: Article

Abstract

It is difficult to define continuity of care or study its impact on health outcomes. This study took place in three stages. In stage I we conducted qualitative research with patients, their close relatives and friends, and their key health professionals from which we derived a number of self completion statements about experienced continuity that were tested for reliability and internal consistency. A valid and reliable 18-item measure of experienced continuity was developed in stage II. In stage III we interviewed 199 patients with cancer up to five times over 12 months to ascertain whether their experiences of continuity were associated with their health needs, psychological status, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. The qualitative data revealed that experienced continuity involved receiving consistent time and attention, knowing what to expect in the future, coping between service contacts, managing family consequences, and believing nothing has been overlooked. Transitions between phases of treatment were not associated with changes in experienced continuity. However, higher experienced continuity predicted lower needs for care, after adjustment for other potential explanatory factors (standardised regression coefficients ranging from ?0.12 (95% CI ?0.20, ?0.05) to ?0.32 (95% CI ?0.41, ?0.23)). Higher experienced continuity may be linked to lower health care needs in the future.

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More information

Published date: 29 January 2008
Keywords: continuity of care, cohort study, cancer, service delivery, transitions in care
Organisations: Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 156591
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/156591
ISSN: 0007-0920
PURE UUID: f7284fcc-63f3-4093-9bd8-b2fe81a0e873
ORCID for A. Richardson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3127-5755

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Date deposited: 01 Jun 2010 11:25
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:55

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Contributors

Author: M. King
Author: L. Jones
Author: A. Richardson ORCID iD
Author: S. Murad
Author: A. Irving
Author: H. Aslett
Author: A. Ramsay
Author: H. Coelho
Author: P. Andreou
Author: A. Tookman
Author: C. Mason
Author: I. Nazareth

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