Evaluation of a multidisciplinary allied health prostate cancer clinic.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer, with increasingly longer survival, and many treatment options for advanced disease. Men with prostate cancer report a high level of unmet supportive care needs. AIMS: To evaluate the unmet supportive care needs of a small cohort of Australian men with advanced prostate cancer, and their partners, and to assess the impact of attendance at a multidisciplinary allied health clinic on meeting these needs. METHODS: Ethics approval for the study was obtained from Epworth HealthCare HREC. Patients were referred to the clinic by their treating specialists where they saw a prostate nurse, a psycho-oncologist and a GP. Prior to their clinic consultations 50 patients and 35 partners completed study questionnaires to determine their unmet needs, prostate cancer and treatment related quality of life, levels of anxiety and depression, exercise patterns and prostate cancer related functional status. Questionnaires were completed again one month post-clinic attendance, and pre-and post-clinic scores were compared. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the patient cohort. Patients reported unmet needs in several domains including psychological and sexuality needs, despite being well into their disease trajectory, and having often been under the care of more than one prostate cancer health care practitioner. These domains showed a small reduction when assessed post-clinic. Partners also reported needs in the psychological and emotional, and information domains. Thirty-two percent of patients reported clinical levels of distress prior to their clinic attendance, with 8% reporting the same level of distress one month post-clinic. CONCLUSION: The identified high levels of unmet needs and levels of distress of this group highlights the necessity for additional resources to assist these men and their partners. A multidisciplinary allied health care prostate clinic as described here may further assist in the comprehensive care of these men and their partners, helping them to address their unmet needs.