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Grewal A, Bansal B, Mittal C, Gupta H, Sasi A, Ganesan P, Dabas A, Sahi P, Ramamoorthy L, Lalthanthuami HT, Ramamoorthy J, Sindhu A, Arora S, Bhukya A, Hepzibah M, Devi K, Krishnamurthy K, Rai SK, Mehta N, Antil K, Bakhshi S, Ganguly S. Knowledge and attitude on childhood cancer survivorship among healthcare trainees: a multicentre study from India. Fam Med Community Health 2024; 12:e002618. [PMID: 38575353 PMCID: PMC11002353 DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2023-002618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proportion of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) is rising. CCS often develop several physical and psycho-social long-term adverse effects, with unique healthcare needs. Primary healthcare providers (primary care physicians (PCPs)), especially in LMICs, are often not equipped to handle survivorship care. This study aimed to assess knowledge, and attitude among trainee healthcare providers concerning major issues of paediatric survivorship care. METHODS A multi-centre, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among nursing and medical undergraduate students, and postgraduate medical residents across three tertiary-care teaching hospitals in India-All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry; and Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. A questionnaire with total of 24 questions (14 knowledge-based and 10 attitude-based) was finalised after validation by expert review and piloting. The major domains covered in the questionnaire included knowledge and attitude regarding long-term adverse effects and psychosocial, employment-related issues faced by the survivors. It was administered to the study participants electronically. The knowledge-based questions had true/false responses (scored as 0 or 1 if incorrect or correct, respectively). Attitude-based questions were scored as 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS Total 898 responses were collected (median age: 21 years, 64% (576/898) female). Among the respondents, 44% were undergraduate medical students, 42% were nursing students and 14% were postgraduate medical residents. The mean (SD) of knowledge score was 8.72 (2.04) (out of 14). On multivariable analysis, only discipline of training predicted knowledge scores regarding survivorship care. Postgraduate medical residents (9.08) as well as undergraduate medical students (8.85), had significantly higher mean knowledge scores than nursing students (8.47) (p=0.004).Two questions were answered incorrectly by the majority; children and siblings of CCS need additional genetic screening (79% incorrectly answered true), and CCS face intimacy issues in relation to normal sexual functioning (59% incorrectly answered false).Nearly half (48%) of respondents believed that their knowledge of cancer survivorship issues was inadequate. Majority of respondents (84%) suggested that oncologists should handle long-term survivorship care rather than PCPs. CONCLUSION Trainee healthcare providers in India reported inadequate knowledge regarding survivorship care. Improving awareness by incorporating survivorship in teaching curriculum is imperative to equip future PCPs to provide survivorship care across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amritesh Grewal
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Bhavik Bansal
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Chetanya Mittal
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Hardik Gupta
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Archana Sasi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Prasanth Ganesan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Aashima Dabas
- Department of Pediatrics, Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Puneet Sahi
- Department of Pediatrics, Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Department of Pediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Lakshmi Ramamoorthy
- College of Nursing, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Hmar Thiak Lalthanthuami
- College of Nursing, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Jaikumar Ramamoorthy
- Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Arwachi Sindhu
- Medical Student, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Suyash Arora
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Anumeha Bhukya
- Medical Student, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Muthumani Hepzibah
- College of Nursing, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Kanchana Devi
- Department of Pediatrics, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Karthick Krishnamurthy
- College of Nursing, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, Puducherry, India
| | - Sanjeet K Rai
- Department of Surgical Disciplines, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Nikhil Mehta
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Komal Antil
- College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Sameer Bakhshi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shuvadeep Ganguly
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A. Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
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