84 The effects of scheduled observation at home on health beliefs related to breast and cervical cancer screening and attitudes of married women

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Material and Method: A newly developed questionnaire was sent to the principal investigator of every hospital (n = 9), participating in a GA implementation project (2009–2012). These persons completed the general information part and offered the second part, covering 6 main categories (i.e. general respondent data, trained health care worker (THCW), GA population, GA domains, GA results and advices, importance and feasibility of GA related tasks for THCWs and geriatricians), to all physicians treating older cancer patients in their hospital. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Eighty-two physicians from all hospitals participated. GA team composition varied substantially, with a nurse as the only core member. Ideally, GA should be applied on all cancer patients aged 70 years or older, who require a treatment decision (i.e. in all new cancer cases and all older patients with progressive disease or relapse). Nearly all GA domains (i.e. social status, functionality, falls, fatigue, cognition, depression, nutrition and medication) were reported important or very important. Pain was mainly reported less important within GA. Availability of GA results can be improved, since a third of respondents stated that it took three or more days for results being available and because several treating physicians declared that GA results had never or seldom reached them in time. Treating physicians want geriatricians to coordinate GA advices and expect from THCWs to collect GA data, to report GA results and to follow-up GA advice implementation. Conclusion: Described heterogeneity of a THCWs’ team and reported importance of GA domains align with international research findings. Valuable information for improving the implementation of GA in older cancer patients is the identification of priorities for the THCW and the finding that geriatricians can be integrated to set up advices for the implementation of geriatric interventions. To increase the effectiveness of GA, further research is necessary to speed up the availability of GA results and to pronounce possible GA related job descriptions of all care providers involved in GA. No conflict of interest.