The benefits of support group participation to lung cancer survivors--an evaluation

Thoracic surgeon and patient focus groups on decision-making in early-stage lung cancer surgery

AIM

To investigate medical decision-making from the thoracic surgeons' and patients' perspectives in early-stage lung cancer.

PATIENTS & METHODS

We conducted one focus group with thoracic surgeons (n = 15) and one with a group of early-stage lung cancer patients treated with surgery (n = 7). Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and coded for themes.

RESULTS

For surgeons, surgical procedure choice was a primary concern, followed by the surgical treatment plan decision-making process. Survivors focused primarily on the physical and mental health-related postsurgical burden for which they felt they were not well prepared and placed less emphasis on surgical decision-making.

CONCLUSION

As early-stage lung cancer mortality rates are improving, surgeons and patients can prioritize surgical approaches and postsurgical care that enhance quality of life.

Needs, expectations and attendance among participants of a cancer wellness centre in Montreal, Quebec

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between needs, expectations, and attendance patterns among users of a cancer wellness centre to better access future programming and improve attendance.

METHODS

We interviewed staff from 18 cancer wellness centers in Canada and the United States to assess if our attendance expectations were realistic. Then, from a total sample of non-users in 2008 (n  =  67) and infrequent users (n  =  67) at the Hope & Cope Wellness Centre in Montreal, we randomly selected individuals from each group who registered and never returned (n  =  16), and those who registered and returned 1-3 times (n  =  17). Telephone interviews were conducted using a brief questionnaire. We used a phenomenological approach to assess the meaning of attendance for the registrants.

RESULTS

Both groups of participants described similar reasons for not attending such as health complications, scheduling conflicts, child care, language issues, and parking restrictions. However, non-users focused specifically on functional aspects such as administrative issues and scheduling, and distance from the centre, while infrequent users expressed more emotional disappointments such as feeling more depressed and inability to engage with others.

DISCUSSION

Strategies are suggested to optimize service delivery for short-term attendees, including home-exercise programming, virtual support, outreach systems, and caregiving support. Information from other wellness centers in Canada and the United States revealed similar trends in attendance but also revealed a wide range of programs and systems of data recording.

IMPLICATIONS

The results of this study have implications for cancer survivors, for health care providers, for the development of strategies to address participation barriers, and for future research on understanding optimal use of wellness centers.

Report from the CDC. Telephone Focus Groups: An Emerging Method in Public Health Research

BACKGROUND

The focus group is a widely used qualitative method in public health research. Typically, focus groups involve face-to-face interaction, although focus groups have also been conducted via telephone conference calls.

METHODS

The indexed medical and social sciences literature was reviewed to assess what is empirically known about the telephone focus group method and how this method has been used to explore health topics.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies reported in 16 publications were found that used telephone focus groups. Of the 13 studies, 12 investigated health topics, and none explored any methodological issues. Some health studies used the telephone focus group method exclusively, whereas others used it in conjunction with additional methods. The studies involved a variety of lay and professional populations in six countries and explored a range of topics. Several of the studies included participants from a wide geographic area, such as across the entire United States. Two rationales for using the telephone focus group method were reported: assembling geographically disparate participants and increasing participant anonymity by eliminating visual contact.

CONCLUSIONS

Health researchers appear to be the primary users of the telephone focus group method for academic research. The telephone focus group method may be especially useful in health studies involving populations that do not have adequate representation in any single region and studies investigating sensitive topics. Methods studies are needed to compare the group dynamics of telephone and in-person focus groups and determine the most appropriate size and duration for telephone focus groups.