Date of Publication
6-1-2022
Abstract
Background: The state of Vermont is one of the most rural states in the nation as more than 80% of people live in either rural areas or small cities. This provides a unique challenge for cancer survivors in Vermont to find and access appropriate forms of support. With the shift towards virtual medicine due to COVID, cancer survivors had to significantly adapt to new restrictions which hindered their ability to find resources for emotional support and information. Due to these circumstances, we wanted to identify the trend in usage and efficacy of various modalities for support by cancer survivors.
Methods: Cancer survivors completed an online opt-in self-reported survey regarding which resources they accessed and their experiences during their cancer treatment. The goals of this study were to identify prominent informational and supportive sources accessed by cancer patients, compare the frequency with which cancer patients used online versus in-person resources, evaluate the impact each resource had on patient outcomes, and elucidate optimal strategies of disseminating crucial information to cancer survivors.
Results: We hypothesized that online resources would have the highest rates of usage, while in-person support networks would result in greater efficacy. Based on the results (n=20), more people utilized in-person resources, and in-person resources were associated with more favorable patient outcomes.
Conclusion: This study revealed that cancer patients utilized in-person resources, such as relationships with healthcare professionals and support networks, more often than online resources. The use of these in-person resources was correlated with higher average patient emotional well-being and level of informedness.
Advisor(s)
Karen Lounsbury, PhD
Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Jeff Moreau
Community Agency Mentor
Agency
Vermont Cancer Support Network
Subjects
Access to Health Services, Cancer, Community, Health Care Access and Quality, Health Communication, Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Recommended Citation
An, Clemens; Bradley, Ellie; Briere, Katelynn; Donovan, Hannah; Nguyen, Tin; Simon, Edward; Toner, Jennifer; and Shin, Bryan, "The Impact of Resource Modality on Reported Outcomes in Cancer Patients" (2022). Public Health Projects, 2008-present. 363.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/363