The impact of an empowering Internet-based Breast Cancer Patient Pathway program on breast cancer patients' clinical outcomes: A randomised controlled trial

摘要

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the effect of the Breast Cancer Patient Pathway program on breast cancer patient's empowerment process. Background: The results of earlier studies indicate that the use of tailored Internet-based patient education programs increased patient's knowledge level; however, other outcome measures differed. Design: This randomised control trial studied the effect of the Internet-based patient educational program on breast cancer patients' empowerment. In this study, we measured the quality of life, anxiety and managing with treatment-related side effects as the outcomes of breast cancer patients' empowering process. Methods: Breast cancer patients who were Internet users in one Finnish university hospital during 2008-2010 were randomised to the control group (n = 43) and the intervention group (n = 47). Baseline data were collected first in the hospital and the following data seven times during the treatment process, the last time one year after breast cancer diagnosis. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the quality of life, anxiety or side effects of treatment between the groups. The amount of treatment-related side effects was connected to both physical and psychological well-being. Conclusions: In this study, the Breast Cancer Patient Pathway program did not decrease anxiety level or treatment-related side effects among breast cancer patients or improve subscales of quality of life when compared with controls. Relevance to clinical practice: There is a need to relieve the side effects caused by patients' care with the help of patient education. Internet-based patient education programs need more focus when developing new patient education methods.