Research Output
Protocol for a mixed methods longitudinal enquiry into the impact of a community based supportive service for people affected by cancer
  Background:
Globally, cancer rates are increasing. In Scotland, it is estimated that 2 in 5 people will develop cancer
in their lifetime. Therefore, this is crucial time to provide personalised care and support to individuals affected by
cancer. In response to this a community based supportive cancer service was launched in Glasgow, Scotland. The
aim of this service is to proactively provide those affected by cancer with an assessment of their needs and
personalised support where needed. To our knowledge, there is no other service like this in the United Kingdom.
Methods:
The aim of this study is to understand if and how the service impacts upon the experiences and
outcomes of people living with and affected by cancer. The study uses a sequential mixed methods design across a
5 year time point. Data gathering includes questionnaires, interviews, observations and reflective diaries. Participants
include people affected by cancer who have used the service, a comparative sample who have not used the
service, individuals who deliver the service and wider stakeholders. Outcomes include measures of patient
activation, quality of life, health status, and social support. Data collection occurs at baseline, 2.5 years and 4 years
with data from observations and reflective diaries supplemented throughout.
Discussion:
This study evaluates an innovative community based cancer service. It focuses on impact and process
issues relevant to a) the individuals in receipt of the service, b) the service providers, and c) the wider culture. As
the programme evolves overtime, the research has been designed to draw out learning from the programme in
order to support future commissioning both within Scotland and across the UK.

  • Type:

    Article

  • Date:

    06 September 2016

  • Publication Status:

    Published

  • Publisher

    Springer Nature

  • DOI:

    10.1186/s12885-016-2757-4

  • Cross Ref:

    2757

  • Library of Congress:

    RT Nursing

  • Funders:

    Macmillan Cancer Support UK

Citation

Snowden, A., Young, J., & Fleming, M. (2016). Protocol for a mixed methods longitudinal enquiry into the impact of a community based supportive service for people affected by cancer. BMC Cancer, 16(1), 720. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-016-2757-4

Authors

Keywords

Cancer, Holistic needs assessment, Community care, Mixed methods, Social support, Quality of life, Patient activation, Health status, Link officer

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    © 2016 The Author(s).
    Open Access
    This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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