Primary Care Physicians’ Involvement in the Cancer Care of Older Long-Term Survivors

• Published in: Journal of aging and health Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 673 - 686
• Main Authors: Bowman, Karen F., Rose, Julia H., Deimling, Gary T., Kypriotakis, George, O'Toole, Elizabeth E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2010; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: African Americans; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Breast Neoplasms - therapy; Cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - therapy; Continuity of Patient Care - organization & administration; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Female; Geriatrics; Health technology assessment; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - therapy; Older people; Physician's Role; Physician-Patient Relations; Physicians; Physicians, Primary Care; Primary care; Prostatic Neoplasms - therapy; Studies; Survivor; Survivors; cancer care; long-term survivorship; older survivors; primary care physicians
• ISSN: 0898-2643; 1552-6887
• DOI: 10.1177/0898264310373501

Objective: This study investigated survivors’ reports of primary care physicians’ (PCPs) involvement in three key cancer survivorship activities: discussing cancer history, whether the PCP initiated discussions, and whether discussions led to tests/procedures. Method: The sample included 215 older survivors whose health care was maintained in primary care. Logistic regression explored predictors of the three activities, including demographics, cancer characteristics, survivor/PCP association characteristics, health characteristics, and psychosocial well-being. Results: Nearly two thirds of survivors indicated discussing cancer history; most said discussions were PCP initiated and nearly half said discussions resulted in tests/procedures. Predictors of discussing cancer history were African American race and more comorbid conditions. PCP-initiated discussions were related to older age, surviving breast cancer, more years in the PCP’s practice, and having less general health worry. The tests/procedures model was not significant. Conclusions: As older survivors focused more on other health concerns, PCPs remained attentive to cancer issues, prompting discussions about history and ordering tests.