TY - JOUR
T1 - Peer support and additional information in group medical consultations (GMCs) for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers: A randomized controlled trial
AU - Visser, Annemiek
AU - van Laarhoven, Hanneke W. M.
AU - Woldringh, Gwendolyn H.
AU - Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline
AU - Prins, Judith B.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Group medical consultations (GMCs) provide individual medical visits in the presence of ≤ 7 peer- patients. This study evaluated the efficacy of GMCs in the yearly breast cancer surveillance of BRCA mutation carriers. This randomized controlled trial compared GMCs (intervention group, n = 63) with individual medical visits (control group, n = 59). Between-group differences on the primary outcomes distress and empowerment, were analyzed one week and three months after the visit. Feasibility is evaluated in terms of demand, acceptability and practicability. No between-group differences were found on primary outcomes. More themes were discussed in GMCs. Seventy-five percent of GMC-participants experienced peer support. Carriers reported significantly higher satisfaction with individual visits. GMCs were less time-efficient. This is the first GMC study which reports results in favor of individual visits. The hereditary nature of the condition differentiates our study population from earlier studied GMC groups. Even though most participants experienced peer support and received more information, the lower patient satisfaction may be explained by the lack of individual time with the clinician and disruption of normal surveillance routines. As the need for peer support and additional information is present in a substantial part of carriers, future research should study the process of peer support
AB - Group medical consultations (GMCs) provide individual medical visits in the presence of ≤ 7 peer- patients. This study evaluated the efficacy of GMCs in the yearly breast cancer surveillance of BRCA mutation carriers. This randomized controlled trial compared GMCs (intervention group, n = 63) with individual medical visits (control group, n = 59). Between-group differences on the primary outcomes distress and empowerment, were analyzed one week and three months after the visit. Feasibility is evaluated in terms of demand, acceptability and practicability. No between-group differences were found on primary outcomes. More themes were discussed in GMCs. Seventy-five percent of GMC-participants experienced peer support. Carriers reported significantly higher satisfaction with individual visits. GMCs were less time-efficient. This is the first GMC study which reports results in favor of individual visits. The hereditary nature of the condition differentiates our study population from earlier studied GMC groups. Even though most participants experienced peer support and received more information, the lower patient satisfaction may be explained by the lack of individual time with the clinician and disruption of normal surveillance routines. As the need for peer support and additional information is present in a substantial part of carriers, future research should study the process of peer support
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3109/0284186X.2015.1049292
DO - https://doi.org/10.3109/0284186X.2015.1049292
M3 - Article
C2 - 26114234
SN - 0284-186X
VL - 55
SP - 178
EP - 187
JO - Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden)
JF - Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden)
IS - 2
ER -