Meeting the needs of rural cancer patients in survivorship: Understanding the role of telehealth.
Karina T Rune, Tamara J Cadet, Cindy Davis
PMID 37927175WHAT IT FOUND
Rural cancer survivors who were younger or in active treatment were more likely to use telehealth during COVID-19.
Overall, they preferred face-to-face cancer support in future, then mixed care, then telehealth. The survey did not test whether telehealth improved care.
Key findings
01Younger rural cancer patients and survivors (≤64 years) were more likely than older participants (≥65 years) to access telehealth services during COVID-19.
02Participants with current cancer stage were more likely than those in remission/recovered to access telehealth services during COVID-19.
03For future cancer support services, participants preferred face-to-face care, followed by mixed face-to-face and telehealth, then telehealth.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was a convenience sample from one rural/regional area, so the results may not represent other rural, regional, or remote cancer survivors. The chi-squared analyses were based on 54 participants, not all 66 who completed the survey. The survey asked about telehealth use and preferences, not whether telehealth improved health, quality of life, or care outcomes. The centre offered a mix of nursing, allied health, and complementary services, so the survey cannot show which service a participant used or how it affected them. Only patients and survivors were included, so caregiver perspectives were not captured.
Declared interests
The authors reported no relevant financial or nonfinancial interests to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that telehealth is acceptable to all rural cancer survivors or that it can replace face-to-face support. The survey found older participants were less likely to use telehealth during COVID-19, and the preferred future format was face-to-face.