Understanding the perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action for lung cancer screening among Latinos: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Rates of lung cancer screening among Latinos remain low. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action for lung cancer screening among Latinos. Methods: Participants (N=20) were recruited using community-based recruitment strategies. Eligibility criteria included: 1) self-identified as Hispanic/Latino, 2) spoke English and/or Spanish, and 3) met the USA Preventive Services Task Force eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening. Interviews were conducted in Spanish and English, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Using the health belief model, a qualitative theoretical analysis was used to analyze the interviews. Results: Participants' mean age was 58.3 years old (SD=5.8), half of the participants were female, 55% had completed high school or lower educational level, and 55% reported speaking more Spanish than English. All participants were currently smoking. Fourteen participants (70%) were unaware of lung cancer screening, and eighteen (90%) did not know they were eligible for lung cancer screening. Regarding lung cancer screening, participants reported multiple perceived benefits (e.g., smoking cessation, early detection of lung cancer, increased survivorship) and barriers (e.g., fear of outcomes, cost, lung cancer screening not being recommended by their clinician). Lastly, multiple cues to actions for lung cancer screening were identified (e.g., family as a cue to action for getting screened). Conclusions: Most Latinos who were eligible for lung cancer screening were unaware of it and, when informed, they reported multiple perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action. These factors provide concrete operational strategies to address lung cancer screening among Latinos.

The role of social networks in prognostic understanding of older adults with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Explore how older patients utilize their social networks to inform prognostic understanding. METHODS: In a pilot study of adults (≥65 years old) with advanced cancer, 16 patients completed surveys, social network maps, and semi-structured interviews exploring with whom they preferred to communicate about their illness. Interviews were analyzed using open-coding, and codes were categorized into emergent themes. Social network maps and themes were analyzed via mixed-methods social network analysis (MMSNA). Three case examples with diverse network characteristics and communication patterns were selected for further analysis. RESULTS: Three overarching themes (i.e., prognostic understanding, social support, and therapeutic alliance) revealed that patients' prognostic understanding was strongly influenced by the quality of the social support patients perceived from members of their social networks. Patients demonstrated prognostic understanding when they reported close relationships and open communication with their network members. Case examples revealed some ways that patients sought information and had better sense of their prognosis when they had supportive social networks. CONCLUSION: Findings illustrate how understanding social networks may provide information on how older adults with cancer seek, share, and process prognostic information.

Older adults with advanced cancer are selective in sharing and seeking information with social networks.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how older adults (OA) with advanced cancer interact with social network members (NM), and the nature of communication. This qualitative study aimed to characterize the processes by which OAs with cancer engage with NMs regarding their illness. METHODS: OAs 65 + with advanced cancer and considering treatment (n = 29) and NMs (n = 18) underwent semi-structured interviews asking 1) about their illness understanding; 2) to identify NMs with whom OAs discuss health-related matters; and 3) to describe the content, process, and impact of those illness-related conversations. Three coders analyzed transcribed interviews. Codes were categorized and emergent themes were identified to generate hypotheses. RESULTS: OAs seek NMs with medical backgrounds for cancer-related information and NMs with personal experience of a serious illness for emotional support. Patients characterize geographical location, frequency of communication, and length of NM relationship as factors that influence the nature of support the NM provides. Additionally, differences emerged between OA and NM perspectives on the depth of conversations and decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: A better characterization of how OAs' seek and share information and support may improve medical communication, disease understanding, and support goals-concordant care.

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations: Post-acute Care Use and Post-surgical Outcomes in Urologic Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate association between Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) participation of hospitals on post-acute care (PAC) use and spending, and post-surgical outcomes in Medicare beneficiaries undergoing urologic cancer surgeries. Despite increasing prevalence of urologic cancer and surgical care contributing to a large proportion of total health care costs, and recent Medicare payment reforms such as accountable care organizations, the role of ACOs in urologic cancer care has been unexplored. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of 2011-2017 Medicare claims data to compare post-surgical outcomes between Medicare ACO and non-ACO patients before and after implementation of Medicare shared savings program (MSSP). Our outcomes of interest were Post-acute care (PAC) use (overall, institutional, and home health), Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) length of stay and Medicare spending for SNF patients, 30-day and 90-day unplanned readmissions and complications after index procedure. RESULTS: Study sample included a total of 334,514 Medicare patients undergoing bladder, prostate, kidney cancer surgeries at 524 Medicare ACO and 2066 non-ACO hospitals. For bladder cancer surgery, Medicare ACO participation was associated with significantly reduced overall post-acute care use, but not with changes in readmission or complication rate. For prostate cancer and kidney cancer surgery, we found no significant association between hospital participation in Medicare ACOs and PAC use or post-surgical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Hospital participation in MSSP ACOs leads to lower post-acute care use without compromising patient outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing bladder cancer surgery. Future research is needed to understand longer-term impact of ACO participation on urologic cancer surgery outcomes.

Association of Prognostic Understanding With Health Care Use Among Older Adults With Advanced Cancer: A Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: A poor prognostic understanding regarding curability is associated with lower odds of hospice use among patients with cancer. However, the association between poor prognostic understanding or prognostic discordance and health care use among older adults with advanced incurable cancers is not well characterized. Objective: To evaluate the association of poor prognostic understanding and patient-oncologist prognostic discordance with hospitalization and hospice use among older adults with advanced cancers. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a post hoc secondary analysis of a cluster randomized clinical trial that recruited patients from October 29, 2014, to April 28, 2017. Data were collected from community oncology practices affiliated with the University of Rochester Cancer Center National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program. The parent trial enrolled 541 patients who were aged 70 years or older and were receiving or considering any line of cancer treatment for incurable solid tumors or lymphomas; the patients' oncologists and caregivers (if available) were also enrolled. Patients were followed up for at least 1 year. Data were analyzed from January 3 to 16, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: At enrollment, patients and oncologists were asked about their beliefs regarding cancer curability (100%, >50%, 50%, <50%, and 0%; answers other than 0% reflected poor prognostic understanding) and life expectancy (≤6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, and >5 years; answers of >5 years reflected poor prognostic understanding). Any difference between oncologist and patient in response options was considered discordant. Outcomes were any hospitalization and hospice use at 6 months captured by the clinical research associates. Results: Among the 541 patients, the mean (SD) age was 76.6 (5.2) years, 264 of 540 (49%) were female, and 486 of 540 (90%) were White. Poor prognostic understanding regarding curability was reported for 59% (206 of 348) of patients, and poor prognostic understanding regarding life expectancy estimates was reported for 41% (205 of 496) of patients. Approximately 60% (202 of 336) of patient-oncologist dyads were discordant regarding curability, and 72% (356 of 492) of patient-oncologist dyads were discordant regarding life expectancy estimates. Poor prognostic understanding regarding life expectancy estimates was associated with lower odds of hospice use (adjusted odds ratio, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.16-0.59). Discordance regarding life expectancy estimates was associated with greater odds of hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.01-2.66). Conclusions and Relevance: This study highlights different constructs of prognostic understanding and the need to better understand the association between prognostic understanding and health care use among older adult patients with advanced cancer. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02107443.

Sexual and gender minority cultural humility training for oncology settings: An example of iterative adaptation and implementation.

Background: Multiple national organizations recommend that cancer care providers and oncology practices be responsive to the needs of sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients. Oncology practices have attempted to incorporate this recommendation through SGM-focused cultural humility training interventions. It is unclear how best to adapt and implement such training across practices. This manuscript outlines one process for adapting a widely-used SGM training from The Fenway Institute to the context of oncology settings using the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced (FRAME) model. Methods: We conducted training sessions in two oncology care settings: a breast oncology center and a radiation oncology department. Subsequently, we conducted in-depth interviews with the three trainers involved in adapting The Fenway Institute's training to these two practices. Two independent investigators coded the interviews using components of the FRAME model as an analytic guide. Results: Training team members described the mechanisms by which FRAME adaption occurred both proactively and reactively; the importance of involving SGM-identified trainers of diverse backgrounds as well as champions from within oncology practices in which trainings were conducted; the importance of adapting both the context and content of training to be relevant to oncology audiences; and the ways in which fidelity to the core principles of improving health care for SGM patients was maintained throughout the process. Discussion: SGM cultural humility training for oncology providers and staff must undergo iterative adaptation to address the political and social context of specific practice environments and advocate for broader institutional culture change to achieve responsiveness to SGM health needs.

Association Between Caregiver-Oncologist Discordance in Patient's Life Expectancy Estimates and Caregiver Perceived Autonomy Support by the Oncologist.

BACKGROUND: Caregiver perceived autonomy support by the oncologist is important for caregiver well-being and may be affected by the patient's survival. We determined the association of caregiver-oncologist discordance in patient's life expectancy estimates with perceived autonomy support over time and whether the association differed by patient survival status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from a geriatric assessment cluster-randomized trial (URCC 13070) that recruited patients aged at least 70 years with incurable cancer considering or receiving treatment, their caregivers, and their oncologists. At baseline, caregivers and oncologists were asked to estimate patient's life expectancy (0-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, and >5 years; any difference in response was considered discordant). At 4-6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, caregivers completed the Health Care Climate Questionnaire (HCCQ), which measured perceived autonomy support by the oncologist. Generalized estimating equation modeling was conducted to assess the association of baseline caregiver-oncologist discordance with longitudinal HCCQ scores, stratified by patient 6-month survival status. RESULTS: Discordant life expectancy estimates were present in 72.0% of dyads. In multivariate analyses, caregiver-oncologist discordance in patient's life expectancy estimates was associated with higher caregiver HCCQ scores. In stratified analysis, caregiver-oncologist discordance was associated with lower caregiver HCCQ scores (ß = -3.46; 95% CI, -4.64 to -2.29) among patients who died within 6 months but with higher caregiver HCCQ scores (ß = 1.33; 95% CI, 0.63-2.04) among patients who survived beyond 6 months. CONCLUSION: Interventions aimed at mitigating discordance need to consider its association with caregiver perceived autonomy support and patient's survival in order to better inform caregiver expectations. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Among patients who died within the first 6 months, caregivers who estimated a different length of life for the patient compared with oncologists were more likely to report lower support from the oncologist, whereas the opposite relationship was seen within patients who survived beyond the first 6 months. When designing interventions to improve caregiver understanding of the patient's prognosis, its relationship with caregiver-perceived support and patient's survival needs to be considered.

Patient and caregiver agreement on prognosis estimates for older adults with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: Disagreements between patients and caregivers about treatment benefits, care decisions, and patients' health are associated with increased patient depression as well as increased caregiver anxiety, distress, depression, and burden. Understanding the factors associated with disagreement may inform interventions to improve the aforementioned outcomes. METHODS: For this analysis, baseline data were obtained from a cluster-randomized geriatric assessment trial that recruited patients aged ≥70 years who had incurable cancer from community oncology practices (University of Rochester Cancer Center 13070; Supriya G. Mohile, principal investigator). Patient and caregiver dyads were asked to estimate the patient's prognosis. Response options were 0 to 6 months, 7 to 12 months, 1 to 2 years, 2 to 5 years, and >5 years. The dependent variable was categorized as exact agreement (reference), patient-reported longer estimate, or caregiver-reported longer estimate. The authors used generalized estimating equations with multinomial distribution to examine the factors associated with patient-caregiver prognostic estimates. Independent variables were selected using the purposeful selection method. RESULTS: Among 354 dyads (89% of screened patients were enrolled), 26% and 22% of patients and caregivers, respectively, reported a longer estimate. Compared with dyads that were in agreement, patients were more likely to report a longer estimate when they screened positive for polypharmacy (ß = 0.81; P = .001), and caregivers reported greater distress (ß = 0.12; P = .03). Compared with dyads that were in agreement, caregivers were more likely to report a longer estimate when patients screened positive for polypharmacy (ß = 0.82; P = .005) and had lower perceived self-efficacy in interacting with physicians (ß = -0.10; P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Several patient and caregiver factors were associated with patient-caregiver disagreement about prognostic estimates. Future studies should examine the effects of prognostic disagreement on patient and caregiver outcomes.

Longitudinal changes in mobility following single-event multilevel surgery in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in mobility longitudinally following single-event multilevel surgery in ambulant children with cerebral palsy, focusing on those using assistive devices for functional mobility because they are most at risk of declining gross motor function. PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive sample of 156 ambulant children with cerebral palsy (99 males), 96 without devices (Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) I/II), 60 with devices (GMFCS III) who had single-event multilevel surgery at mean age 11 years 1 month. METHODS: GMFCS and Functional Mobility Scale (FMS) ratings were recorded pre-operatively and at 2 and 5 years post-operatively. A proportional odds logistic regression model was used for the GMFCS III group to predict the probability of assistive device requirements post-operatively conditional on baseline FMS. RESULTS: Children in GMFCS III showed more change than those in I/II at home and school. Those in GMFCS III using crutches pre-operatively at home and school were more likely to continue using them at 5 years, whereas those using walkers were more likely to change to crutches or wheelchairs. Wheelchairs were most commonly used in the community before and after single-event multilevel surgery. CONCLUSION: Mobility was generally stable or improved at 5 years after single-event multilevel surgery; however, a small number of children used more assistance to facilitate mobility.

Evaluating clinical practice guidelines developed for the management of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers and assessing the reliability and validity of the AGREE instrument.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the quality of a sample of clinical guidelines for thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers, using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument. We also evaluated the reliability and validity of the AGREE instrument and summarized the key recommendations of the appraised guidelines. METHODS: Twenty-six clinical researchers and endocrinologists who had been trained in the principles of developing clinical guidelines and using the AGREE instrument participated in the study and appraised the guidelines. Clinical guidelines selected via a systematic search were assessed, each by eight participants. We compared the AGREE domain scores of the guidelines, and compared the participants' scores before and after group discussions. We used Cronbach's alpha, and intraclass correlation coefficients to assess the reliability, and the Spearman's rho to assess the correlation between the overall assessment and other variables. RESULTS: Seven guidelines were included in the study. 'Scope and purpose' and 'clarity and presentation' achieved the highest domain scores. 'Applicability' received the lowest domain scores and reliability coefficients. 'Rigor of development' and 'clarity and presentation' obtained the highest correlations with overall assessment scores. There was a significant relationship between the overall assessment score and the numbers of algorithms, tables and figures in the guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: We identified three clinical guidelines that obtained high overall assessment scores and were recommended for use in practice. Our findings have important implications for those developing clinical guidelines, especially as clarity and presentation significantly influenced the participants' assessment of the guidelines. The developers should ensure that the recommendations are presented clearly and unambiguously, and flowcharts, algorithms and other tools are developed to help the users in applying the recommendations into practice. The optimal number of appraisers for each guideline is four. Further work is needed to improve the 'applicability' domain of the AGREE.

Low-level laser therapy in management of postmastectomy lymphedema.

The aim of this paper was to study the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of postmastectomy lymphedema. Eleven women with unilateral postmastectomy lymphedema were enrolled in a double-blind controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to laser and sham groups and received laser or placebo irradiation (Ga-As laser device with a wavelength of 890 nm and fluence of 1.5 J/cm2) over the arm and axillary areas. Changes in patients' limb circumference, pain score, range of motion, heaviness of the affected limb, and desire to continue the treatment were measured before the treatment and at follow-up sessions (weeks 3, 9, 12, 18, and 22) and were compared to pretreatment values. Results showed that of the 11 enrolled patients, eight completed the treatment sessions. Reduction in limb circumference was detected in both groups, although it was more pronounced in the laser group up to the end of 22nd week. Desire to continue treatment at each session and baseline score in the laser group was greater than in the sham group in all sessions. Pain reduction in the laser group was more than in the sham group except for the weeks 3 and 9. No substantial differences were seen in other two parameters between the two treatment groups. In conclusion, despite our encouraging results, further studies of the effects of LLLT in management of postmastectomy lymphedema should be undertaken to determine the optimal physiological and physical parameters to obtain the most effective clinical response.