Relationship between survivorship care plans and unmet information needs, quality of life, satisfaction with care, and propensity to engage with, and attend, follow-up care

Background: The impact of survivorship care plans (SCPs) on the proximal and distal outcomes of adult and childhood cancer survivors, and parent proxies, is unclear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between SCP receipt and these outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adult and childhood cancer survivors (and parent proxies for survivors aged younger than 16 years) across Australia and New Zealand was conducted. Multivariate regression models were fitted to measure the impact of SCP receipt on proximal (unmet information needs and propensity to engage with, and attend, cancer-related follow-up care) and distal outcomes (quality of life and satisfaction with cancer-related follow-up care) with control for cancer history and sociodemographic factors. Results: Of 1123 respondents, 499 were adult cancer survivors and 624 were childhood cancer survivors (including 222 parent proxies). We found that SCP receipt was predictive of greater attendance at, and awareness of, cancer-related follow-up care (adult: odds ratio [OR], 2.46; 95% CI, 1.18–5.12; OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.07–5.29; child/parent: OR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.63–4.17; OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.06–2.50; respectively). SCP receipt also predicted fewer unmet information needs related to “follow-up care required” and “possible late effects” (adult: OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.20–0.96; OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.13–0.64; child/parent: OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.30–0.72; OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38–0.85; respectively). In terms of distal outcomes, SCP receipt predicted a better global quality of life for adult cancer survivors (β, 0.08; 95% CI, −0.01–7.93), proxy-reported health-related quality of life (β, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.44–7.12), and satisfaction with follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors (OR, 2.93; 95% CI, 1.64–5.23). Conclusions: Previous studies have shown little impact of SCPs on distal end points. Results suggest that SCPs may be beneficial to cancer survivors’ proximal and distal outcomes.