Living with long-term consequences: Experience of follow-up care and support needs among Asian long-term colorectal cancer survivors.
Abstract
<h4>Objectives</h4>This study aimed to provide an in-depth exploration of follow-up
care experiences and supportive care needs in long-term colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors
within multiethnic Asian communities.<h4>Methods</h4>Semi-structured in-depth interviews
were conducted on a purposive sample of 30 long-term CRC survivors who had completed
all treatment without recurrence ranging 2 to 17 years in Singapore. Interviews were
audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted following
grounded theory approach.<h4>Results</h4>Four themes represented the experience of
the Asian long-term CRC survivors: (a) living with long-term consequences, (b) dealing
with unceasing adaptation demands, (c) navigating a healthcare journey with limited
direction, (d) regaining mastery through adversity. CRC and its treatment had profound
physical impacts on some long-term survivors and these effected their psychological
well-being. A sense of abandonment and vulnerability following the cessation of a
5-year follow-up care was repeatedly expressed. Participants defined recovery from
CRC as not merely surviving but also having high physical function and full independence.
They often sought less conventional remedies and medicine based on cultural beliefs
rather than current evidence. Participants noted pervasive social stigma associated
with CRC that impeded their inclusion in the workforce.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Asian long-term
CRC survivors experienced multiple challenges and needs relating to the care experience,
information provision and workforce stigmatization, and several of which were unique
to the Asian context. Future work will need to consider the implementation of culturally
tailored cancer survivorship care plans that incorporate the specific needs of Asian
CRC survivors.
Type
Journal articleSubject
Asianadaptation
colorectal cancer
follow-up care
long-term survivors
oncology
psycho-oncology
qualitative
support need
Adaptation, Physiological
Adult
Aftercare
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Cancer Survivors
Colorectal Neoplasms
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
Quality of Life
Singapore
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22767Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1002/pon.5452Publication Info
Yoon, Sungwon; Chua, Teck Beng; Tan, Iain Beehuat; Matchar, David; Ong, Marcus Eng
Hock; & Tan, Emile (2020). Living with long-term consequences: Experience of follow-up care and support needs
among Asian long-term colorectal cancer survivors. Psycho-oncology, 29(10). pp. 1557-1563. 10.1002/pon.5452. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/22767.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
David Bruce Matchar
Professor of Medicine
My research relates to clinical practice improvement - from the development of clinical
policies to their implementation in real world clinical settings. Most recently my
major content focus has been cerebrovascular disease. Other major clinical areas in
which I work include the range of disabling neurological conditions, cardiovascular
disease, and cancer prevention. Notable features of my work are: (1) reliance on
analytic strategies such as meta-analysis, simulation, decision analy

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