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Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 3/2018

01-03-2018 | Original Article

Palliative care content on cancer center websites

Authors: Laura B. Vater, Gina Rebesco, Yael Schenker, Alexia M. Torke, Gregory Gramelspacher

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 3/2018

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Abstract

Purpose

Professional guidelines recommend that palliative care begin early in advanced cancer management, yet integration of palliative and cancer care remains suboptimal. Cancer centers may miss opportunities to provide palliative care information online. In this study, we described the palliative care content on cancer center websites.

Methods

We conducted a systematic content analysis of 62 National Cancer Institute- (NCI) designated cancer center websites. We assessed the content of center homepages and analyzed search results using the terms palliative care, supportive care, and hospice. For palliative and supportive care webpages, we assessed services offered and language used to describe care. Two researchers analyzed all websites using a standardized coding manual. Kappa values ranged from 0.78 to 1.

Results

NCI-designated cancer center homepages presented information about cancer-directed therapy (61%) more frequently than palliative care (5%). Ten percent of cancer centers had no webpage with palliative care information for patients. Among centers with information for patients, the majority (96%) defined palliative or supportive care, but 30% did not discuss delivery of palliative care alongside curative treatment, and 14% did not mention provision of care early in the disease process.

Conclusions

Cancer center homepages rarely mention palliative care services. While the majority of centers have webpages with palliative care content, they sometimes omit information about early use of care. Improving accessibility of palliative care information and increasing emphasis on early provision of services may improve integration of palliative and cancer care.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Palliative care content on cancer center websites
Authors
Laura B. Vater
Gina Rebesco
Yael Schenker
Alexia M. Torke
Gregory Gramelspacher
Publication date
01-03-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 3/2018
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-017-3922-2

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