Concordance between patient-reported and physician-reported sexual function after radical prostatectomy

Quality indicators in surgical oncology: systematic review of measures used to compare quality across hospitals

BACKGROUND

Measurement and reporting of quality indicators at the hospital level has been shown to improve outcomes and support patient choice. Although there are many studies validating individual quality indicators, there has been no systematic approach to understanding what quality indicators exist for surgical oncology and no standardization for their use. The aim of this study was to review quality indicators used to assess variation in quality in surgical oncology care across hospitals or regions. It also sought to describe the aims of these studies and what, if any, feedback was offered to the analysed groups.

METHODS

A literature search was performed to identify studies published between 1 January 2000 and 23 October 2023 that applied surgical quality indicators to detect variation in cancer care at the hospital or regional level.

RESULTS

A total of 89 studies assessed 91 unique quality indicators that fell into the following Donabedian domains: process indicators (58; 64%); outcome indicators (26; 29%); structure indicators (6; 7%); and structure and outcome indicators (1; 1%). Purposes of evaluating variation included: identifying outliers (43; 48%); comparing centres with a benchmark (14; 16%); and supplying evidence of practice variation (29; 33%). Only 23 studies (26%) reported providing the results of their analyses back to those supplying data.

CONCLUSION

Comparisons of quality in surgical oncology within and among hospitals and regions have been undertaken in high-income countries. Quality indicators tended to be process measures and reporting focused on identifying outlying hospitals. Few studies offered feedback to data suppliers.

A 25-year perspective on advances in the study of the epidemiology, disparities, and outcomes of urologic cancers

In this narrative review, key developments in epidemiologic and clinical outcomes-based research from eminent historical data sources over the past quarter century are summarized. We then describe the rise of secondary and administrative datasets (AD), summarizing the predominant types of available secondary datasets for contemporary research and describe the benefits and inherent limitations in working with secondary data. We review the methodological advances that permit researchers to capitalize on the full capability of secondary data while also addressing the limitations inherent in utilizing these data for the purposes of epidemiologic and outcomes research. Finally, we present candidate strategies to perpetuate this momentum towards optimizing the development of clinical research infrastructure that harnesses the full potential of the ADs to further clinical and epidemiological research, advancing data analysis, and address the many unanswered questions that remain.

Online-based interventions for sexual health among individuals with cancer: a systematic review

Background

Online interventions have the advantages of being widely available, accessible, comfortable, cost effective, and they can provide tailored information and support. Despite these benefits, the effects of specifically devised online intervention programs for cancer patients’ sexual problems are somewhat unclear. The aim of this review is to describe online-based interventions and to assess their effects on sexual health among cancer survivors and/or their partners.

Methods

We investigated the effects of online sexual interventions among individuals with cancer or their partners. Among these, we considered 4 eligible articles.

Results

Despite the diversity of contents of the interventions, the identified modes of delivery among most of the interventions were as follows: education, interactive methods, cognitive behavior therapy, tailored information, and self-monitoring. Methods of monitoring the interventions, including the utilization of the web site and post-treatment program rating, were reported. All the online intervention programs incorporated a focus on physical, psychological, cognitive, and social aspects of sexual health. Significant effects on patient sexual function and interest and the psychological aspect of sexual problems were reported.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence that online-based interventions would be effective in improving the psycho-sexual problems of cancer survivors and their partners.