Patient satisfaction with nurse-led follow-up for breast cancer: a questionnaire study.

摘要

Emotional morbidity within the first year following a diagnosis of breast cancer may approach 30% (1) and can predispose to long-term psychiatric morbidity. The need for patients to receive effective psychosocial support as an integral component of follow-up has been recognized, and is included as an aim in the breast cancer follow-up guidelines of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2). Despite this recognition, a paucity of research evaluates patient perception or satisfaction with follow-up after treatment for breast cancer. Where opinion has been sought patients report feeling hurried during appointments, discomfort at discussing psychological and emotional issues with a doctor, lack of continuity in personnel and unmet informational and psychosocial needs (3).