Computer use in primary care practices in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of computers in primary care practices. DESIGN: The international Quality and Cost of Primary Care study was conducted in Canada in 2013 and 2014 using a descriptive cross-sectional survey method to collect data from practices across Canada. Participating practices filled out several surveys, one of them being the Family Physician Survey, from which this study collected its data. SETTING: All 10 Canadian provinces. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 788 family physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A computer use scale measured the extent to which family physicians integrated computers into their practices, with higher scores indicating a greater integration of computer use in practice. Analyses included t tests and 2 tests comparing new and traditional models of primary care on measures of computer use and electronic health record (EHR) use, as well as descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Nearly all (97.5%) physicians reported using a computer in their practices, with moderately high computer use scale scores (mean [SD] score of 5.97 [2.96] out of 9), and many (65.7%) reported using EHRs. Physicians with practices operating under new models of primary care reported incorporating computers into their practices to a greater extent (mean [SD] score of 6.55 [2.64]) than physicians operating under traditional models did (mean [SD] score of 5.33 [3.15]; t726.60 = 5.84; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.42, 95% CI 0.808 to 1.627) and were more likely to report using EHRs (73.8% vs 56.7%; [Formula: see text]; P < .001; odds ratio = 2.15). Overall, there was a statistically significant variability in computer use across provinces. CONCLUSION: Most family physicians in Canada have incorporated computers into their practices for administrative and scholarly activities; however, EHRs have not been adopted consistently across the country. Physicians with practices operating under the new, more collaborative models of primary care use computers more comprehensively and are more likely to use EHRs than those in practices operating under traditional models of primary care.

Alignment of Canadian Primary Care With the Patient Medical Home Model: A QUALICO-PC Study.

PURPOSE: The patient medical home (PMH) model aims to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes in Canada, but since its introduction in 2009, there has been no evaluation of the extent to which primary care conforms with PMH attributes. Our objective was to compare current primary care across Canada with the 10 goals of the PMH model. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of primary care organization and delivery was conducted in Canadian provinces to evaluate the PMH-based attributes of primary care practices. Family physician and patient responses were mapped to the 10 goals of the PMH model. We used regression models to describe the provinces' success in meeting the goals, taking specific practice characteristics into account. We created a PMH composite score by weighting each goal equally for each practice and aggregating these by province. The PMH score is the sum of the values for each goal, which were scored from 0 to 1; a score of 10 indicates that all 10 goals of the PMH model were achieved. RESULTS: Seven hundred seventy-two primary care practices and 7,172 patients participated in the survey. The average national PMH score was 5.36 (range 4.75-6.23) of 10. Ontario was the only province to score significantly higher than Canada as a whole, whereas Québec, Newfoundland/Labrador, and New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island scored below the national average. There was little variation, however, among provinces in achieving the 10 PMH goals. CONCLUSIONS: Provincial PMH scores indicate considerable room for improvement if the PMH goals are to be fully implemented in Canada.

Patients' experiences with continuity of cancer care in Canada: Results from the CanIMPACT study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore patient perspectives on and experiences with the coordination and continuity of cancer care. DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured telephone interviews. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-eight breast and colorectal cancer survivors 1 to 4 years after diagnosis. METHODS: Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with the participants. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and proofread. Transcripts were reviewed to create a focused coding scheme that was used to develop categories for participants' experiences. MAIN FINDINGS: Although this study focused on the continuity of cancer care, patients described their experiences with cancer care in general, concentrating predominantly on their relationships with individual health care providers (HCPs). Based on patients' experiences, several themes were identified as the core components of providing good continuity and well coordinated care. The most important overarching theme was communication, which overlapped with 4 other themes: patient-HCP relationships, the role of HCPs, lack of access to care, and timely and tailored information. CONCLUSION: Patients believed that good communication between HCPs and patients was key to improving the overall continuity of cancer care. Continuity of care is an important theoretical concept in cancer care, but it is not easily recognized by patients. They perceive the cancer care continuum and continuity of care as cancer care in general, which is typically framed by the individual relationships with their HCPs. Future research and interventions need to focus on finding and testing ways to improve communication to enhance continuity of cancer care.

Coordination of cancer care between family physicians and cancer specialists: Importance of communication.

OBJECTIVE: To explore health care provider (HCP) perspectives on the coordination of cancer care between FPs and cancer specialists. DESIGN: Qualitative study using semistructured telephone interviews. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 58 HCPs, comprising 21 FPs, 15 surgeons, 12 medical oncologists, 6 radiation oncologists, and 4 GPs in oncology. METHODS: This qualitative study is nested within a larger mixed-methods program of research, CanIMPACT (Canadian Team to Improve Community-Based Cancer Care along the Continuum), focused on improving the coordination of cancer care between FPs and cancer specialists. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, telephone interviews were conducted with HCPs involved in cancer care. Invitations to participate were sent to a purposive sample of HCPs based on medical specialty, sex, province or territory, and geographic location (urban or rural). A coding schema was developed by 4 team members; subsequently, 1 team member coded the remaining transcripts. The resulting themes were reviewed by the entire team and a summary of results was mailed to participants for review. MAIN FINDINGS: Communication challenges emerged as the most prominent theme. Five key related subthemes were identified around this core concept that occurred at both system and individual levels. System-level issues included delays in medical transcription, difficulties accessing patient information, and physicians not being copied on all reports. Individual-level issues included the lack of rapport between FPs and cancer specialists, and the lack of clearly defined and broadly communicated roles. CONCLUSION: Effective and timely communication of medical information, as well as clearly defined roles for each provider, are essential to good coordination of care along the cancer care trajectory, particularly during transitions of care between cancer specialist and FP care. Despite advances in technology, substantial communication challenges still exist. This can lead to serious consequences that affect clinical decision making.

Primary care providers' experiences with and perceptions of personalized genomic medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To assess primary care providers' (PCPs') experiences with, perceptions of, and desired role in personalized medicine, with a focus on cancer. DESIGN: Qualitative study involving focus groups. SETTING: Urban and rural interprofessional primary care team practices in Alberta and Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one PCPs. METHODS: Semistructured focus groups were conducted and audiorecorded. Recordings were transcribed and analyzed using techniques informed by grounded theory including coding, interpretations of patterns in the data, and constant comparison. MAIN FINDINGS: Five focus groups with the 51 participants were conducted; 2 took place in Alberta and 3 in Ontario. Primary care providers described limited experience with personalized medicine, citing breast cancer and prenatal care as main areas of involvement. They expressed concern over their lack of knowledge, in some circumstances relying on personal experiences to inform their attitudes and practice. Participants anticipated an inevitable role in personalized medicine primarily because patients seek and trust their advice; however, there was underlying concern about the magnitude of information and pace of discovery in this area, particularly in direct-to-consumer personal genomic testing. Increased knowledge, closer ties to genetics specialists, and relevant, reliable personalized medicine resources accessible at the point of care were reported as important for successful implementation of personalized medicine. CONCLUSION: Primary care providers are prepared to discuss personalized medicine, but they require better resources. Models of care that support a more meaningful relationship between PCPs and genetics specialists should be pursued. Continuing education strategies need to address knowledge gaps including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, a relatively new area provoking PCP concern. Primary care providers should be mindful of using personal experiences to guide care.

Assessing the Efficacy of a Group Mediated Nutritional Knowledge Intervention for Individuals with Obesity.

PURPOSE: This study reports on the effect of a group-based nutrition and physical activity intervention program on nutrition knowledge and eating habits in a cohort of people with obesity. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measures. The intervention consisted of physical activity led by certified exercise physiologists and a nutritional education component led by registered dietitians over a 6-month period followed by 6 months of self-management. Participants' nutrition knowledge and eating habits were assessed using the modified Nutrition Assessment, the Nutrition Knowledge Survey, and the Food Choice Questionnaires at baseline, after the 6-month intervention, and after 6 months of self-management. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 59 (40%) of participants after 12 months because of attrition. Nutritional knowledge and behaviours improved. Participants reported increasing their consumption of healthy foods during the active intervention and maintained these changes through the self-management phase. Knowledge of healthy foods was improved and a greater likelihood of choosing food for weight control and health properties was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge and reported consumption of healthier nutrition improved during the active intervention and was maintained during the self-management period for individuals who completed the program. Registered dietitians can play an important role in managing patients with obesity in group settings.

Do new and traditional models of primary care differ with regard to access?: Canadian QUALICOPC study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine access to primary care in new and traditional models using 2 dimensions of the concept of patient-centred access. DESIGN: An international survey examining the quality and costs of primary health care (the QUALICOPC study) was conducted in 2013 in Canada. This study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey method using data from practices across Canada. Each participating practice filled out the Family Physician Survey and the Practice Survey, and patients in each participating practice were asked to complete the Patient Experiences Survey. SETTING: All 10 Canadian provinces. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 759 practices and 7172 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Independent t tests were conducted to examine differences between new and traditional models of care in terms of availability and accommodation, and affordability of care. RESULTS: Of the 759 practices, 407 were identified as having new models of care and 352 were identified as traditional. New models of care were distinct with respect to payment structure, opening hours, and having an interdisciplinary work force. Most participating practices were from large cities or suburban areas. There were few differences between new and traditional models of care regarding accessibility and accommodation in primary care. Patients under new models of care reported easier access to other physicians in the same practice, while patients from traditional models reported seeing their regular family physicians more frequently. There was no difference between the new and traditional models of care with regard to affordability of primary care. Patients attending clinics with new models of care reported that their physicians were more involved with them as a whole person than patients attending clinics based on traditional models did. CONCLUSION: Primary care access issues do not differ strongly between traditional and new models of care; however, patients in the new models of care believed that their physicians were more involved with them as people.

A longitudinal analysis of chronic arm morbidity following breast cancer surgery.

Arm morbidity (AM) arising from breast cancer (BC) treatment can detrimentally impact quality of life; often limiting a survivor's ability to participate in valued activities. The present study explored (a) the developmental time course of AM [restricted range of motion (ROM), pain, and arm volume changes], negative affect, and perceived disability in the immediate years post-surgery, and (b) the mediating role of perceived disability on the relationship between AM and negative affect over time. In this 5-year longitudinal study, BC survivors from four Canadian oncology clinics (n = 431) completed five annual clinical assessments, where differences in ROM (shoulder abduction, external rotation) and arm volume between the affected and non-affected arm were measured. The profile of mood states (POMS), disability of arm, shoulder, hand, and McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short form were completed. Results from general linear modeling showed that AM, negative affect, and perceived disability were greatest 1-year post-surgery, declined, and with the exception of arm volume changes, were significantly lower 5 years later. Negative affect was significantly associated with restrictions in shoulder abduction and external rotation (average r = -0.15; p < 0.05) and present arm pain (average r = 0.28, p < 0.01) at most assessments. The mediating role of perceived disability on the relationship between AM and negative affect was statistically significant in a majority of assessments. Perceived disability is the underlying factor driving the relationship between AM and mood disturbance over time. Rehabilitative therapy to improve survivors' functional well-being might mitigate the negative impacts of AM on emotional health.

The influence of gender and other patient characteristics on health care-seeking behaviour: a QUALICOPC study.

BACKGROUND: Canadians' health care-seeking behaviour for physical and mental health issues was examined using the international Quality and Cost of Primary Care (QUALICOPC) survey that was conducted in 2013 in Canada. METHOD: This study used the cross-sectional Patient Experiences Survey collected from 7260 patients in 759 practices across 10 Canadian provinces as part of the QUALICOPC study. A Responsive Care Scale (RCS) was constructed to reflect the degree of health care-seeking behaviour across 11 health conditions. Using several patient characteristics as independent variables, four multiple regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Patients' self-reports indicated that there were gender differences in health care-seeking behaviour, with women reporting they visited their primary care provider to a greater extent than did men for both physical and mental health concerns. Overall, patients were less likely to seek care for mental health concerns in comparison to physical health concerns. For both women and men, the results of the regressions indicated that age, illness prevention, trust in physicians and chronic conditions were important factors when explaining health care-seeking behaviours for mental health concerns. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the gender differences in health care-seeking behaviour advances previous research by exploring in detail the variables predicting differences in health care-seeking behaviour for men and women. The variables were better predictors of health care-seeking behaviour in response to mental health concerns than physical health concerns, likely reflecting greater variation among those seeking mental health care. This study has implications for those working to improve barriers to health care access by identifying those more likely to engage in health care-seeking behaviours and the variables predicting health care-seeking. Consequently, those who are not accessing primary care can be targeted and policies can be developed and put in place to promote their health care-seeking behavior.

Loss, adaptation and new directions: The impact of arm morbidity on leisure activities following breast cancer.

The impact of arm morbidity on leisure and quality of life is an understudied area in cancer survivorship. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively describe the impact of breast cancer-related arm morbidity on leisure participation in Canadian women. A grounded theory approach was used to generate thematic categories and a model. Drawing on participants from a larger cohort study (n = 740), 40 women with arm morbidity symptoms were purposively sampled and interviewed. Three themes emerged: a sense of loss, adapting participation, and new directions. Women with arm morbidity may experience an abrupt loss of previously enjoyed leisure activities and engage in a process of adapting to discover new meanings and directions. Comprehensive, person-centred cancer survivorship programs may assist with adaptation to arm morbidity.

An international cross-sectional survey on the Quality and Costs of Primary Care (QUALICO-PC): recruitment and data collection of places delivering primary care across Canada.

BACKGROUND: Performance reporting in primary health care in Canada is challenging because of the dearth of concise and synthesized information. The paucity of information occurs, in part, because the majority of primary health care in Canada is delivered through a multitude of privately owned small businesses with no mechanism or incentives to provide information about their performance. The purpose of this paper is to report the methods used to recruit family physicians and their patients across 10 provinces to provide self-reported information about primary care and how this information could be used in recruitment and data collection for future large scale pan-Canadian and other cross-country studies. METHODS: Canada participated in an international large scale study-the QUALICO-PC (Quality and Costs of Primary Care) study. A set of four surveys, designed to collect in-depth information regarding primary care activities was collected from: practices, providers, and patients (experiences and values). Invitations (telephone, electronic or mailed) were sent to family physicians. Eligible participants were sent a package of surveys. Provincial teams kept records on the number of: invitation emails/letters sent, physicians who registered, practices that were sent surveys, and practices returning completed surveys. Response and cooperation rates were calculated. RESULTS: Invitations to participate were sent to approximately 23,000 family physicians across Canada. A total of 792 physicians and 8,332 patients from 772 primary care practices completed the surveys, including 1,160 participants completing a Patient Values survey and 7,172 participants completing a Patient Experience survey. Overall, the response rate was very low ranging from 2% (British Columbia) to 21% (Nova Scotia). However, the participation rate was high, ranging from 72% (Ontario) to 100% (New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador). CONCLUSIONS: The difficulties obtaining acceptable response rates by family physicians for survey participation is a universal challenge. This response rate for the QUALICO-PC arm in Canada was similar to rates found in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand. Even though most family physicians operate as self-employed small businesses, they could be supported to routinely submit data through a collective effort and provincial mandate. The groundwork in setting up pan-Canadian collaboration in primary care has been established through this study.

Can certified health professionals treat obesity in a community-based programme? A quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effectiveness of a non-pharmaceutical programme for obese participants in a rural Eastern Canadian Province using certified health professionals. DESIGN: A prospective quasi-experimental design with repeated premeasure and postmeasure. PARTICIPANTS: 146 participants with obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m(2)) from rural and urban communities in an Eastern Canadian Province were divided into four groups. INTERVENTION: A 6-month intensive active community-based lifestyle intervention (InI) delivered by Certified Exercise Physiologists, Certified Personal Trainers and Registered Dietitians, followed by 6 months of self-management. A second intervention (InII) was nested in InI and consisted of group-mediated cognitive-behavioral intervention (GMCBI) delivered by an exercise psychologist to two of the four InI groups. OUTCOMES: (1) Improving health outcomes among the participants' preactive and postactive 6-month intervention and self-management period, (2) Documenting the impact of InII (GMCBI) and location of the intervention (urban vs rural). RESULTS: The 6-month active InI significantly improved cardiovascular health for participants who completed the intervention. InII (GMCBI) significantly lowered the attrition rate among the participants. The self-management period was challenging for the participants and they did not make further gains; however, most were able to maintain the gains achieved during the active intervention. The location of the intervention, urban or rural, had little impact on outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A community-based programme utilising healthcare professionals other than physicians to treat obese patients was effective based on premeasure and postmeasure. During the self-management phase, the participants were able to maintain the gains. Psychological support is essential to participant retention.

Young adult cancer survivors and the challenges of intimacy.

The purpose of this study was to explore intimate relationships after a cancer diagnosis, applying constructivist grounded theory to interviews with 55 Canadian young adult cancer survivors. The core category found was the dynamic interplay between participants' experiences of cancer and their intimate relationships. The authors found four themes within this core category: the mental experience of cancer, challenged sexual intimacy, the relationship response to strain (supportive or nonsupportive), and adapted intimacy. This research demonstrates the importance of intimate relationships for young adults along their cancer trajectory, revealing that those relationships are severely strained by a cancer diagnosis and treatment yet help to limit negative consequences.

The English version of the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ) measures the same as the original Dutch questionnaire: a validation study.

BACKGROUND: Translations of questionnaires need to be carefully validated to assure that the translation measures the same construct(s) as the original questionnaire. The four-dimensional symptom questionnaire (4DSQ) is a Dutch self-report questionnaire measuring distress, depression, anxiety and somatization. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the equivalence of the English version of the 4DSQ. METHODS: 4DSQ data of English and Dutch speaking general practice attendees were analysed and compared. The English speaking group consisted of 205 attendees, aged 18-64 years, in general practice, in Canada whereas the Dutch group consisted of 302 general practice attendees in the Netherlands. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis was conducted using the Mantel-Haenszel method and ordinal logistic regression. Differential test functioning (DTF; i.e., the scale impact of DIF) was evaluated using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: DIF was detected in 2/16 distress items, 2/6 depression items, 2/12 anxiety items, and 1/16 somatization items. With respect to mean scale scores, the impact of DIF on the scale level was negligible for all scales. On the anxiety scale DIF caused the English speaking patients with moderate to severe anxiety to score about one point lower than Dutch patients with the same anxiety level. CONCLUSION: The English 4DSQ measures the same constructs like the original Dutch 4DSQ. The distress, depression and somatization scales can employ the same cut-off points as the corresponding Dutch scales. However, cut-off points of the English 4DSQ anxiety scale should be lowered by one point to retain the same meaning as the Dutch anxiety cut-off points.

Abuse of family physicians by patients seeking controlled substances.

OBJECTIVE: To examine family physicians' career prevalence and monthly incidence of workplace abuse by controlled substance prescription seekers. DESIGN: A 4-page cross-sectional survey. SETTING: A family medicine continuing medical education event in Halifax, NS. PARTICIPANTS: The survey was distributed to 316 family physicians attending the continuing medical education event. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Career prevalence and monthly incidence of workplace abuse related to the act of prescribing controlled substances. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent (n = 178) of the 316 surveys were returned completed. Half the study participants were men (49%). Most study participants were in private practice and lived in Nova Scotia, and approximately half (51%) practised in urban settings. On average, the study participants had 20 years of practice experience. The career prevalence of abusive encounters related to controlled substance prescribing was divided into "minor," "major," and "severe" incidents. Overall, 95% of study participants reported having experienced at least 1 incident of minor abuse; 48% had experienced at least 1 incident of major abuse; and 17% had experienced at least 1 incident of severe abuse during their careers. Further, 30% reported having been abused in the past month; among those, the average number of abusive encounters was 3. Most (82%) of the abusers were male with a history of addiction (85%) and mental illness (39%). Opioids were the most frequently sought controlled substance. CONCLUSION: Abuse of family physicians by patients seeking controlled substances is substantial. Family physicians who prescribe controlled substances are at risk of being subjected to minor, major, or even severe abuse. Opioids were the most often sought controlled substance. A national discussion to deal with this issue is needed.

It's the "good" cancer, so who cares? Perceived lack of support among young thyroid cancer survivors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the survivorship experience of young adult patients with thyroid cancer. RESEARCH APPROACH: A qualitative, descriptive study. SETTING: Four Canadian provinces, with most participants from Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: 12 young adult thyroid cancer survivors who participated in a larger study on follow-up care needs consisting of 55 young adult cancer survivors. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: Telephone interviews were conducted with cancer survivors who were diagnosed from age 18-39 years and were 1-5 years post-treatment. FINDINGS: All 12 thyroid cancer survivors discussed the feeling that their cancer experiences often were downplayed because thyroid cancer is labeled as the "good" cancer. Many said that they were not considered real patients with cancer by healthcare providers and other patients with cancer, and they were unable or unwilling to access support programs or assistance from healthcare providers. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer can have an impact on a person's life regardless of the prognosis. Being diagnosed with thyroid cancer at a young age can pose additional challenges because of the lack of available support to address needs specific to young adults. INTERPRETATION: Healthcare providers must recognize the needs of thyroid cancer survivors and encourage them to access supportive services. KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION: Patients with thyroid cancer believe that their needs often are overlooked because of high survival rates, and they have difficulty accessing support resources and finding help. Young adults with cancer often have unique support needs. Support needs may not be the same for all young adult patients with cancer, and those needs should be recognized and addressed.

Comparing urban and rural young adult cancer survivors' experiences: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Large administrative data set analyses demonstrate that geography has a significant impact on access to health care and subsequent health outcomes. In general, rural populations have poorer access to healthcare services. This article explores the reality of this issue for young adult cancer survivors. METHODS: Data was of a subset of 30 participants from a larger qualitative study that examined cancer survivorship issues for young adult cancer patients in Canada. The subset of participants are from New Brunswick, a predominantly rural province in Eastern Canada with a population of 750,000 spread out over a large geographical area, and from Canada's largest metropolis center, Greater Toronto Area, with a population of around 6 million. RESULTS: Analysis of the qualitative data using constructivist grounded theory revealed several expected and unexpected differences between the two geographically distinct groups. The rural group of young adult cancer survivors reported more frequent episodes of delayed diagnosis and lower levels of community support compared to the urban participants. The urban young adult cancer survivors discussed out-of-pocket expenses for cancer treatment more often than the rural participants. Many rural participants made it clear that they were keenly aware that not all cancer care services were readily available where they lived, and yet they reported considerably higher levels of satisfaction with the cancer care that they received than the urban participants. CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of important cancer services in rural areas, rural young adult cancer survivors expressed higher levels of satisfaction with their care than did urban cancer survivors. It appears that levels of satisfaction are related to expectations. Rural participants were aware of the more limited services available and felt that their cancer care practitioners provided the best care possible given the limited resources. Urban participants may have higher expectations of cancer care and felt that the cancer care they received fell below expectations. In the future, researchers may want to focus on cancer care expectations, satisfaction levels and psychosocial outcomes in greater detail.

Rehabilitation after breast cancer: recommendations from young survivors.

PURPOSE: Studies show that younger women have a greater physical, psychological, and social morbidity, and poorer quality of life after a breast cancer diagnosis than older women. With improving survival rates, cancer rehabilitation has an increasing role in the cancer care continuum, particularly for younger women who potentially have many productive years ahead of them. The purpose of this study was to assess the cancer rehabilitation needs of young women after breast cancer treatment. METHODS: In this qualitative, descriptive study, we purposefully sampled 35 breast cancer survivors diagnosed under the age of 50 in Atlantic Canada to participate in two telephone interviews. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: Recommendations included: improved communication between the various healthcare professionals; healthcare professionals taking on a more proactive approach in recommending rehabilitation after treatment; better insurance coverage or financial assistance for rehabilitation services; and more rehabilitation support for rural populations. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation nurses can play an important role in educating patients, recognizing long-term sequelae, and directing patients to various medical and allied health care professionals to provide proper support and care post-breast cancer treatment.

How the medical culture contributes to coworker-perpetrated harassment and abuse of family physicians.

PURPOSE: Harassment and abuse in the workplace of family physicians has been associated with higher levels of stress, increased consumption of alcohol, and higher risk for developing mental health problems. Few studies have examined issues contributing to abusive encounters in the workplace of family physicians. METHODS: For the overall study we used a mixed methods design, which included a cross-sectional survey of a randomly selected sample of active family physicians from the database of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and telephone interviews with those who reported experiencing work related harassment and abuse in the last year. The data presented here arise from the qualitative interviews of the study, which were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: The interview arm of the study included 23 female and 14 male participants. The major themes that emerged from the study were (1) modeling of abusive behaviors, (2) status hierarchy among various medical disciplines, (3) shortage of physicians, and (4) lack of transparent policies and follow-up procedures after abusive encounters. The results are discussed using the broken window theory. CONCLUSION: Many family physicians experience harassing and abusive encounters during their training or in the workplace. The current medical culture appears to contribute to harassment and abuse in the workplace of family physicians in Canada. We described the components that intentionally or unintentionally facilitate abusive behavior in the medical culture.

Barriers to rehabilitative care for young breast cancer survivors: a qualitative understanding.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to assess the rehabilitation needs of young women breast cancer survivors under the age of 50 and to identify factors that may impact or prevent cancer rehabilitation utilization. METHODS: Utilizing a grounded theory methodology, 35 young breast cancer survivors were interviewed twice in four Atlantic Canadian provinces. RESULTS: A considerable number of barriers exist to receiving rehabilitative care post-treatment for young breast cancer survivors. The systemic barriers include the lack of availability of services, travel issues, cost of services, and the lack of support to address the unique needs for this age group. However, the most complicated barriers to accessing rehabilitative care were personal barriers which related more to choice and circumstances, such as the lack of time due to family responsibilities and appointment fatigue. Many of these personal barriers were rooted in the complex set of gender roles of young women as patients, mothers, workers, and caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: The contexts of young women's lives can have a substantial impact on their decisions to seek and receive rehabilitative care after breast cancer treatment. The systemic barriers can be reduced by introducing more services or financial assistance; however, the personal barriers to rehabilitation services are difficult to ameliorate due to the complex set of roles within and outside the family for this group of young breast cancer survivors. Health care providers need to take into consideration the multiple contexts of women's lives when developing and promoting breast cancer rehabilitation services and programs.