Selbsthilfe im Onlineforum bei lokal begrenztem Prostatakarzinom: Qualitative Analyse der Entscheidungsfindung

Self-help management of patients undergoing chemotherapy: analysis of the online forum of the women's self-help association against cancer

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to examine threads on chemotherapy in the largest German self-help forum regarding content and emotions.

METHODS

All threads on the subject of chemotherapy that were published by February 6th, 2022 were included in the category "drug therapy". A total of 50 threads were analyzed. A quantitative analysis was carried out with regard to content, emotions, number of replies, number of hits, duration of the conversation, duration of access in days, number density of replies, and hits per day.

RESULTS

16 threads are about side effects and in 18 threads, the emotion is fear. Threads in which the emotion fear was expressed have the highest number of replies at 3367. Shared therapy successes are posted with pleasure and achieved a higher mean value for the duration of conversation with 1374.25 days.

CONCLUSION

An online self-help forum is a very important source of psychosocial support for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Online peer-to-peer support for persons affected by prostate cancer: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about online peer-to-peer support for persons affected by prostate cancer (PC) and its potential effects.

METHODS

Our systematic review of the literature followed the PRISMA statement and revealed a total of 2372 records. Finally, 24 studies about online peer-to-peer support for persons affected by PC were selected for qualitative synthesis. Due to a lack of suitable quantitative results, the intended meta-analysis was not possible.

RESULTS

Available studies were almost exclusively descriptive. Only one randomized controlled trial (RCT) included 40 PC survivors. In this study, quality of life improved in online support group (OSG) users and decreased in the control group. However, it returned to baseline in both groups after eight weeks. As a summary across all studies, OSGs play a significant role in patients' treatment decision-making and for the social environment of PC patients. Information exchange in OSGs was predominant, but emotional and supportive content also had an important function.

CONCLUSION

Due to the inconsistent methodology and the lack of reporting standards, a synthesis from the available studies is very limited.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Population-based studies should focus on the actual use of OSGs. The effectiveness of OSGs needs to be investigated in RCTs.

[The care situation of patients with interstitial cystitis in Germany: results of a survey of 270 patients]

BACKGROUND

Using a comprehensive questionnaire the care situation of 270 patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) and bladder pain syndrome in Germany was recorded. Despite comprehensive literature on IC (62,000 citations in PubMed) almost nothing is known of the everyday care and quality of patient care in Germany.

RESULTS

In total 94% of the patients were women and 6% men, the average age of women was 53.5 years and that of men 67 years and 47.77% of the patients felt that they were well or very well informed about the disease whereby the internet was the source of information in many cases. The exchange of information among patients will increase further through social networks. The diagnosis of IC was made most frequently (62.22%) by biopsy and histological examination followed by urodynamics, potassium test, hydrodistension and cystoscopy. The average duration of the diagnosis was 9 years, 46.67% of the patients consulted a doctor more than 20 times before the diagnosis was made and 51.84% had to pass water more than 14 times per day. Frequency, nocturia and pain were the leading symptoms and 25% of the patients complained of urge incontinence. Among oral medications, analgesics were taken most frequently (61.7%) followed by pentosan polysulphate, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, antispasmodics and remedies for urinary urgency. In the self-assessment of the success of treatment with oral medications (helped very well and well), pentosan polysulphate, analgesics, antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs were considered to be the best. Medications that restore the glucosamine lining of the bladder were used predominantly for instillation into the bladder included hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate and a combination of both and pentosan polysulphate. In the self-assessment of the success of treatment with instillation therapy (helped very well or well) the order was: chondroitin sulphate (62.69%), hyaluronic acid (55.77%), a combination of both (53.66%) and pentosan polysulphate (46.30%). The electromotive drug administration (EMDA) procedure with the use of direct current to introduce medications into the bladder wall was mentioned surprisingly often, namely, in 119 patients. In the self-assessment success (helped very well or well) was considered the best for intravesical procedures with 61.34%.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with all drug procedures instillation of medications into the bladder was mentioned 368 times and was assessed by the patients as having helped very well and noticeably by 53.53%, followed by special invasive procedures at 50.56%/271 mentions, alternative therapies at 41.11%/287 mentions and oral medication at 39.75%/1,024 mentions. Hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate products, the combination of both and pentosan polysulphate (oral and intravesical) are not reimbursed by the statutory health insurance. Over 40% of patients treated with these therefore discontinued the treatment for reasons of cost.