Cancer Patients Interests In Participation In Cancer Rehabilitation

Cancer Patients Interest in Participating in Cancer RehabilitationEmma Ohlsson-Nevo 1, 2, 3 , Ingrid Alkebro 1 , Johan Ahlgren 1,2,41 u00d6rebro University Hospital, u00d6rebro, Sweden, 2 IHMu00b2, Faculty of Medicin and healthu2074, u00d6rebro University, Sweden, 3 Centre for Health Care Sciences, u00d6rebro County Council, SwedenIntroductionRehabilitation for cancer patients aims at preventing and reducing the physical, mental, social and existential consequences of a cancer disease and its treatment. Cancer rehabilitation efforts should give the patient support according to their individual needs to with the purpose to live as good a life as possible. Objective The present study is part of a larger project, with the purpose to investigate rehabilitation needs, social stigma, health-related quality of life and the extent of given information, for people diagnosed and treated for cancer, in a region of Sweden. The aim of this study is to describethe rehabilitation need of cancer patients. Method A total of 1179 cancer patients diagnosed with 28 different cancer diagnosis between 150801-160701, were identified for a postal survey with the purpose to investigate rehabilitation needs, social stigma, health-related quality of life and the extent of given information. The response rate was 60%.Results More than 25% of the women wanted to attend 10 activiu00acties. Men were interested in participation in 3 activities. Patients younger than 50 years of age were most intereu00acsted in cancer rehabilitation as half the group wanted to attend 7 activities.The patients with only mandatory education had a small interest in rehabilitation. No activity attracted more than 23%. Among the university educated 27-47% wanted to attend 10 of the activities.There was a larger interest in cancer rehabilitation one year after the diagnosis than earlier in the cancer trajectory. Patients with breast and gynecologic diagnoses were interested in most activities. More than 25% wanted 10 activities. More than 25% of the patients with blood canu00accer wanted 7 rehabilitational activities, skin 6, gastro 6, prostate 4, colorectal 3, lung 3, head and neck 2. Among the urologic diagnoses, no activity attracted 25% of the patients.ConclusionPsychoeducational support groups, lectures and mental support, were the most wanted rehabilitational activities for cancer patients. Cancer rehabilitation are most important for women, younger patients, university educated and one year after diagnosis. Cancer rehabilitation did not attract mandatory educated and patients older than 70 years of age.