Change in Mental Health and Resilience in Childhood Cancer Survivors After Attending a Person-Centred State-of-the-Art Late Effects Clinic-on Behalf of the PanCareFollowUp Consortium.
Person-centred follow-up care based on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and providing individualised information should help to inform and reassure survivors about their medical and psychosocial situation and provide treatment and support where needed.
To describe changes in mental health and resilience in survivors before and after a person-centred follow-up care intervention and analyse associations of mental health improvements with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.
We implemented the novel person-centred PanCareFollowUp Care Intervention in four clinics across Europe. Survivors aged 16+ years (cancer diagnosed at age < 19 years, 5+ years after diagnosis) completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18; somatisation, depression, anxiety, overall distress), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale before (T1) and 6 months after (T2) the clinic visit. We calculated a change score for resilience and a reliable change index for BSI-18 scales and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
In total, 798 survivors participated (51.4% males, mean age = 30.3 years [range: 16-60]). Mental health significantly improved, with lower scores for depression (mean change = 0.89, p = 0.001), anxiety (mean change = 0.68, p = 0.025), overall distress (mean change = 0.99, p = 0.004) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (mean change = 1.09, p = 0.004) at T2 as compared to T1. Around one-third of survivors reported significant distress (no change: p = 0.659). Socio-demographic or clinical characteristics were not associated with changes in resilience or overall distress. A reliable reduction of post-traumatic stress symptoms was more likely in those single (p = 0.020), unemployed or in education/studying (p = 0.003) and with poor physical health (p = 0.004).
Mental health improved after the person-centred PanCareFollowUp Care Intervention. Inclusion in regular follow-up care may help to decrease survivors' distress in the long-term.
Netherlands Trial Register numbers: NL8918, NL-OMON21449.
To describe changes in mental health and resilience in survivors before and after a person-centred follow-up care intervention and analyse associations of mental health improvements with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.
We implemented the novel person-centred PanCareFollowUp Care Intervention in four clinics across Europe. Survivors aged 16+ years (cancer diagnosed at age < 19 years, 5+ years after diagnosis) completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18; somatisation, depression, anxiety, overall distress), Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale before (T1) and 6 months after (T2) the clinic visit. We calculated a change score for resilience and a reliable change index for BSI-18 scales and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
In total, 798 survivors participated (51.4% males, mean age = 30.3 years [range: 16-60]). Mental health significantly improved, with lower scores for depression (mean change = 0.89, p = 0.001), anxiety (mean change = 0.68, p = 0.025), overall distress (mean change = 0.99, p = 0.004) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (mean change = 1.09, p = 0.004) at T2 as compared to T1. Around one-third of survivors reported significant distress (no change: p = 0.659). Socio-demographic or clinical characteristics were not associated with changes in resilience or overall distress. A reliable reduction of post-traumatic stress symptoms was more likely in those single (p = 0.020), unemployed or in education/studying (p = 0.003) and with poor physical health (p = 0.004).
Mental health improved after the person-centred PanCareFollowUp Care Intervention. Inclusion in regular follow-up care may help to decrease survivors' distress in the long-term.
Netherlands Trial Register numbers: NL8918, NL-OMON21449.
Authors
Michel Michel, Rijken Rijken, Kokla Kokla, Sleurs Sleurs, Lemiere Lemiere, Frederiksen Frederiksen, Mader Mader, Follin Follin, Oberti Oberti, Winther Winther, van den Oever van den Oever, Kremer Kremer, van der Pal van der Pal, Spreeuwenberg Spreeuwenberg, Bouwman Bouwman, Te Dorsthorst Te Dorsthorst, Essiaf Essiaf, Feijen Feijen, Gsell Gsell, Haupt Haupt, van Helvoirt van Helvoirt, Hermens Hermens, Hjorth Hjorth, Kepak Kepak, Kepakova Kepakova, Kienesberger Kienesberger, Muraca Muraca, Renard Renard, Schneider Schneider, Skinner Skinner, Uyttebroeck Uyttebroeck, Vanrusselt Vanrusselt, Verschueren Verschueren, Loonen Loonen, Pluijm Pluijm, Roser Roser,
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