TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast cancer patients’ needs and perspectives on a one-on-one peer support program
T2 - quantitative and qualitative analyses
AU - Jansen, Britt Am
AU - Bargon, Claudia A.
AU - Dinger, Tessa L.
AU - van den Goor, Myra
AU - Postma, Emily L.
AU - Young-Afat, Danny A.
AU - Verkooijen, Helena M.
AU - Doeksen, Annemiek
N1 - Funding Information: We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Hester Wessels for serving as focus group moderator for this study. Her expertise and experience were invaluable in guiding the discussions and ensuring that participants’ perspectives were accurately presented. We would also like to thank all participants who generously shared their time and insights. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Purpose: Although peer support programs as a health resource have become increasingly popular, only limited studies evaluated the added value of one-on-one peer support for breast cancer patients. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap by focusing on two related research topics. First, we evaluated emotional well-being and (unmet) needs regarding supportive care. Second, we evaluated patients’ perspectives on their experiences after having one-on-one peer support. Methods: A quantitative analysis was conducted to provide insight in patients’ symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS), quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30), and supportive care needs (CaSUN-questionnaire). Furthermore, approximately 1 year after the implementation of a one-on-one peer support program, focus groups were conducted to evaluate patients’ perspectives regarding one-on-one peer support. Results: Two hundred twenty-five of 537 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2019 and 2020 completed the questionnaires. Quantitative analysis showed increased symptoms of anxiety and depression among breast cancer patients and lower scores on all EORTC-QLQ-C30 domains compared to the Dutch normative population. Of all patients, 27.6% (95%CI = 0.22–0.34) reported to have unmet needs regarding emotional support and 23.1% (95%CI = 0.18–0.29) reported an unmet need to talk to someone who has experienced breast cancer. For the qualitative analysis, 19 breast cancer patients who were taking part in the one-on-one peer support program participated in three focus groups. Benefits, limitations, and wishes regarding the one-on-one peer support program were discussed. Conclusion: Breast cancer patients showed increased anxiety and depression and lower quality of life, physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning compared to the Dutch normative population. Almost one-third of breast cancer patients reported unmet needs regarding emotional support and a desire to talk to other breast cancer patients. These (unmet) needs can successfully be met by providing a low-threshold one-on-one peer support program.
AB - Purpose: Although peer support programs as a health resource have become increasingly popular, only limited studies evaluated the added value of one-on-one peer support for breast cancer patients. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap by focusing on two related research topics. First, we evaluated emotional well-being and (unmet) needs regarding supportive care. Second, we evaluated patients’ perspectives on their experiences after having one-on-one peer support. Methods: A quantitative analysis was conducted to provide insight in patients’ symptoms of anxiety and depression (HADS), quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-C30), and supportive care needs (CaSUN-questionnaire). Furthermore, approximately 1 year after the implementation of a one-on-one peer support program, focus groups were conducted to evaluate patients’ perspectives regarding one-on-one peer support. Results: Two hundred twenty-five of 537 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2019 and 2020 completed the questionnaires. Quantitative analysis showed increased symptoms of anxiety and depression among breast cancer patients and lower scores on all EORTC-QLQ-C30 domains compared to the Dutch normative population. Of all patients, 27.6% (95%CI = 0.22–0.34) reported to have unmet needs regarding emotional support and 23.1% (95%CI = 0.18–0.29) reported an unmet need to talk to someone who has experienced breast cancer. For the qualitative analysis, 19 breast cancer patients who were taking part in the one-on-one peer support program participated in three focus groups. Benefits, limitations, and wishes regarding the one-on-one peer support program were discussed. Conclusion: Breast cancer patients showed increased anxiety and depression and lower quality of life, physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning compared to the Dutch normative population. Almost one-third of breast cancer patients reported unmet needs regarding emotional support and a desire to talk to other breast cancer patients. These (unmet) needs can successfully be met by providing a low-threshold one-on-one peer support program.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Mental health
KW - Needs
KW - One-on-one peer support
KW - Peer support
KW - Supportive care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85175075158&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08009-6
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-08009-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 37882849
SN - 0941-4355
VL - 31
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
JF - Supportive Care in Cancer
IS - 12
M1 - 656
ER -