ASPO Abstracts
Examining the role of communication on health-care self-efficacy and follow-up care among an ethnically diverse sample of young adult childhood cancer survivors
Category: Survivorship & Health Outcomes/Comparative Effectiveness Research
Conference Year: 2022
Abstract Body:
Purpose of the study: The triad of communication between young adult childhood cancer survivors (YACCS), their parents, and their medical providers is an important process in managing healthcare engagement among YACCS. We investigated the impact of triadic cancer care communication on health-care self-efficacy and cancer-related follow-up among Hispanic and non-Hispanic YACCS. Methods: This study used 160 dyads data from the Project Forward pilot study, a cross-sectional population-based study that evaluated follow-up care among YACCS in Los Angeles County. Nine indicators representing multiple dimensions of communication were used in latent class analysis to identify distinct classes of triadic communication. These indicators were selected from the parent and YACCS survey and asked about communication between YACCS, parents, and medical providers. We used two separate multivariable regression models to examine the association of triadic cancer care communication with cancer-related follow up and health-care self-efficacy. Covariates included in the models were YACCS age, sex, treatment intensity, and health insurance.Results: Among 160 YACCS, the average age was 20 and 7 years from diagnosis. Triadic communication was separated into two categories: (1) high communication (n=85) and (2) low communication (n=75). We found that triadic communication was associated with YACCS health-care self-efficacy and cancer-related follow-up care after controlling for covariates. More specifically, being in the high communication group was associated with higher levels of health-care self-efficacy (p=0.03). Similarly, YACCS who had high communication had higher odds of recent follow-up care (within the past two years) relative to those with low communication (OR= 2.04, 95% CI=0.86, 4.85, p = 0.10). Discussion: YACSS who engage in high communication had greater healthcare self-efficacy and were more likely engage in cancer-related follow-up care. Strategies to enhance triadic communication are important to manage the health of long-term survivors in this at-risk population.
Keywords: Survivor of childhood cancer, Communication, Healthcare engagement