Perspectives on Self-Advocacy: Comparing Perceived Uses, Benefits, and Drawbacks Among Survivors and Providers.

The study used convenience samples: survivors came from one parent study and providers came from one cancer center and one Oncology Nursing Society chapter. Only female cancer survivors who completed the online parent study were included; women who completed the paper version, and who had lower self-advocacy scores, were not included. The findings are self-reported perceptions, not measured outcomes or tested effects of self-advocacy. The provider sample included many nurses, so results may be more generalizable to nurses than to physicians or other providers. Participants may have used different definitions of self-advocacy because the survey gave a general definition. Survey format limited written responses, though some participants added open-ended comments.

Do not conclude that self-advocacy improves health outcomes, patient satisfaction, or reduces costs. This paper reports what survivors and providers thought, not what happened after an intervention; both groups thought reduced costs and efficient care were the least likely benefits.