Self support bij slokdarmkanker patiënten

What is the effect of digital self-management support integrated in the care process of esophageal cancer patients on quality of life, anxiety and functional status?

Wat houdt het project in?

Esophageal malignancy ranks sixth among cancer deaths worldwide. In case of resectable disease, neoadjuvant chemoradiation and/or chemotherapy followed by surgery is the preferred treatment option. However, such a curative treatment is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality and a decrease in health-related quality of life.

Patients with esophageal cancer are challenged to self-manage their condition, which involves symptom management, adherence to treatment regimes, commitment to appropriate lifestyle changes and the ability to deal with the psychological and physical consequences that come with their condition. In this, support by health care professionals is needed. Self-management support is defined as the systematic provision of education and supportive interventions by health-care professionals to increase patients’ skills and confidence in managing their health problems, including regular assessment of progress and problems, goal setting, and problem-solving support. It is nowadays offered through face-to-face contact and/or via digital tools. With the rapid development of these digital tools in health care, use of digital self-management tools to support esophageal cancer patients will likely become increasingly important and could represent a helpful psychological intervention. Despite the projected proliferation of interventions with digital self-mangement tools to manage treatment‐related symptoms, the evidence and effectiveness of these tools are still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this PhD research is to explore the evidence regarding digital self-management support tools on esophageal cancer patients in a specific treatment or disease stage, design of technology and especially design of technology tailored to the patients’ need.

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