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Rajeswaran T, Dawdy K, Bishop M, Amiel G, Heneghan K, Khader J, de Vries J, Silva FS, Wiljer D, Szumacher E. An Exploration of the Pillars of Leadership in Cancer Education. JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER EDUCATION 2024; 39:288-296. [PMID: 38421568 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-024-02409-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Leadership plays a key role in cancer education (CE) and the success of its practices. Leaders in CE must effectively use their leadership skills to be able to communicate, collaborate, and educate their team members. There is a lack of formalized and standardized curriculums for institutions in developing leadership programs, including what themes to focus on in CE. In this article, the authors describe key pillars of leadership in CE that have presented themselves throughout their experience and within the literature. A search was conducted using the Ovid MEDLINE® database and articles were reviewed for eligibility. In this review, thirty articles were selected for their relevance to CE. With this literature search and the authors' reflections, four pillars of leadership in CE were identified: (1) leadership development, (2) collaboration, (3) diversity and equity, and (4) implementation. Within these themes, key areas of importance were discussed further, and barriers to CE leadership were identified. By reflecting upon pillars of leadership in CE, this article may be helpful for developing future leadership programs within CE. It is vital that initiatives continue to be held and barriers are addressed to increase leadership effectiveness within CE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thenugaa Rajeswaran
- Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Krista Dawdy
- Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- University of Toronto, Department of Radiation Oncology, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maria Bishop
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Gilad Amiel
- Department of Urology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kathleen Heneghan
- Surgical Patient Education, American College of Surgeons, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jamal Khader
- Department of Radiation Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
| | - Jakob de Vries
- University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Filipe Santos Silva
- i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - David Wiljer
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ewa Szumacher
- Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- University of Toronto, Department of Radiation Oncology, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Elbarazi I, Aziz F, Ahmed LA, Abdullahi AS, Al-Maskari F. Cancer Health Literacy and Its Correlated Factors in the United Arab Emirates-A Cross Sectional Study. Cancer Control 2024; 31:10732748241248032. [PMID: 38717601 PMCID: PMC11146015 DOI: 10.1177/10732748241248032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cancer Health literacy (CHL) is the health literacy related to cancer knowledge, prevention, treatment, screening, and access to services. It is an important indicator of people's adherence to screening and preventive measures, which helps to reduce the incidence and prevalence of cancer. The study assessed the CHL level and its association with relevant socio-demographic characteristics and sources of information among primary health care patients and visitors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS A cross-sectional study recruited survey participants who consented to respond to an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The assessment of CHL was done by using 15 questions. CHL level was measured as a median score and also categorized as poor/inadequate, moderate, good/excellent. Nominal logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between CHL categories and participants' sociodemographic characteristics and CHL sources of information. RESULTS Of the total 492 participants, 45.5% were young adults (30-39 years old), 32.9% were males, and 70.8% were UAE nationals. The overall median CHL score was 8.0 (IQR = 5.0-10). 33.7% of the participants had a poor/inadequate level of CHL, 49.6% had a moderate level and 16.7% had a good to excellent level of CHL. 76.9% of the participants knew the importance of early cancer screening tests, 72.7% acknowledged the metastatic capacity of cancer, and the protective factors of cancer, especially, in colon cancer (71.7%). A high proportion of participants received health information about cancer via the internet (50.7%), television (45.3%), social media (40.2%), and doctors (43.6%). Nationality other than UAE (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.03-2.56, P = .038), having university education (aOR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.21-3.99, P = .010) compared to those with lower than high school, and having a family history of cancer (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.33-4.41, P = .004) were positively associated with CHL. Older age (aOR = .36, 95% CI = .17-.75, P = .007 for 50-59 years, and aOR = .29, 95% CI = .11-.82, P = .019) for 60-69 years, higher-income (aOR = .57, 95% CI = .33-.99, P = .047 for 10,000-19,999 AED; aOR = .53, 95% CI = .33-.88, P = .013 for ≥20,000) compared with those earning <10,000 AED were negatively associated with CHL. CONCLUSIONS CHL among the resident UAE population was moderately adequate, therefore implementation of awareness campaigns seems to be warranted. Moreover, evaluation research targeting the CHL impact on cancer prevention practices and screening is also advocated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iffat Elbarazi
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Faisal Aziz
- Interdisciplinary Metabolic Medicine Trials Unit, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Luai A. Ahmed
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aminu S. Abdullahi
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatima Al-Maskari
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Kopec M, Quartey NK, Snow M, Stechkevich A, Giuliani ME, Papadakos J. Improving Access to Patient Education: an Audit of Extant Educational Materials. JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER EDUCATION 2023; 38:885-894. [PMID: 35869364 PMCID: PMC9307263 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-022-02202-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Health information exchange between provider and patient, along with patient participation in their care (self-management), can lead to improved health outcomes. A step towards achieving better outcomes is the systematic provision of education materials to patients and caregivers throughout the cancer trajectory. An audit of patient education (PE) materials was conducted at a cancer center to identify content gaps and determine areas for future development. The PE audit was conducted in all outpatient clinics (13) and clinic-specific PE materials were identified, reviewed, and categorized by cancer type and under the following topics: About Cancer/Disease, Medical Tests and Imaging, Treatment, Symptom Management, Rehabilitation/Survivorship, General Wellbeing, Medical Device Care, Practical and Other. Four hundred forty-seven PE materials were included in the audit. Totals for each topic were summed and analyzed for education development opportunities. Results varied based on clinic and cancer type. Majority of the materials were found in the following clinics: Hematology (75), Genitourinary (74), and Gastrointestinal (57). The most common information topics were treatment (277), about cancer/disease (134), and symptom management (120). When broken down by cancer type, it was clear that while the collection of PE materials is well established for some diagnoses (e.g., 28 prostate cancer materials), there is a significant dearth in materials for others (e.g., 0 penile cancer materials). Audit results will be used to identify opportunities for future education material development. Determining cancer-specific information gaps is important in achieving equal information access for patients and caregivers, regardless of cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Kopec
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Naa Kwarley Quartey
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Michelle Snow
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Andrew Stechkevich
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Meredith Elana Giuliani
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada
- Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Janet Papadakos
- Cancer Health Literacy Research Centre, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada.
- The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Institute for Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Geng C, Lu GJ, Zhu J, Li YY. Patients’ awareness about their own breast cancer characteristics. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:7043-7052. [PMID: 34540959 PMCID: PMC8409217 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i24.7043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients’ knowledge about the characteristics of their own cancer could be an important factor for understanding treatment regimens and adhering to therapies. However, to date nothing is known about the awareness among Chinese breast cancer patients about the characteristics of their own tumors.
AIM To investigate how much knowledge that Chinese breast cancer patients have about their tumor characteristics and the impact of health and education literacy on the acquisition of such information.
METHODS The survey was administered to patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 2017 to 2019 in three hospitals in China, and who came in for regular follow-up on an outpatient basis. We collected responses from 226 respondents who were asked about their cancer characteristics (stage, grade, and estrogen receptor status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status of the cancer), and evaluated the correctness by comparing with their medical records. Logistic regression was used to assess the probability of knowing and of correctly answering questions. We also analyzed the association between our findings and the level of the patient’s education and their health literacy.
RESULTS Overall, 20.80% to 57.96% of the patients reported knowing about the characteristics of breast cancer; of these, 10.18% to 46.46% reported these characteristics correctly. Education, age, and health literacy were all significantly associated with awareness rate, and with the level to which this information was accurate.
CONCLUSION Breast cancer patients in China know little about their disease, and better education aimed at improving their knowledge about cancer characteristics is urgently needed. The low level of awareness could represent a deficiency of communication between surgeons and patients, which may be one of the reasons why medical disputes occur in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Geng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, Shandong Province, China
| | - Guo-Jun Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jing Zhu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Foshan Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Foshan 528000, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yu-Yang Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, Shandong Province, China
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Quality assessment of cancer patient education materials: the current state of systemic therapy patient education in fourteen cancer centres across Ontario, Canada. Support Care Cancer 2020; 29:3513-3519. [PMID: 33151399 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-020-05859-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Most patients diagnosed with cancer are administered systemic therapy and these patients are counselled and given printed education (PE) materials. High rates of low health literacy highlight the need to evaluate the quality of these PE materials. METHODS A current state assessment of the quality of PE materials was conducted in Ontario, Canada. Patient education leaders from 14 cancer centres submitted print materials on the topic of systemic cancer therapy to the assessment team. To report adherence to PE quality and health literacy best practices, the following validated measures were used: readability (FRY, SMOG and Flesch Reading Ease), understandability and actionability (Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT)). Materials at grade level 6 or lower and with PEMAT scores greater than 80% were considered to meet health literacy best practices. RESULTS A total of 1146 materials were submitted; 366 met inclusion criteria and 83 were selected for assessment. Most materials scored below the 80% target for understandability (x̄ = 73%, 31-100%) and actionability (x̄ = 68%, 20-100%), and above the recommended grade 6 readability level (x̄ = grade 9) meaning that the majority did not meet quality standards or best practices. CONCLUSION Results suggest that there is significant opportunity to improve the quality of PE materials distributed by cancer centres. The quality of PE materials is a critical safety and equity consideration when these materials convey important safety and self-care directives.
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