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Effects of patient navigation on satisfaction with cancer care: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

Patient navigation (PN) is a model of healthcare coordination designed to reduce barriers to achieving optimal health outcomes. Systematic reviews evaluating whether PN is associated with higher patient satisfaction with cancer care are lacking.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to synthesize evidence of comparative studies evaluating the effectiveness of PN programs to improve satisfaction with cancer-related care. We included studies reported in English that: (1) evaluated a PN intervention designed to increase satisfaction with cancer care; and (2) involved a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or non-RCT approach. Standardized forms were used to abstract data from studies. These data were evaluated for methodological quality, summarized qualitatively, and synthesized under a random effects model.

Results

The initial search yielded 831 citations. Nine met inclusion criteria. Five had adequate data (1 RCT and 4 non-RCTs) to include in the meta-analysis. Methodological quality of included studies ranged from weak to strong, with half rated as weak. Findings of the RCTs showed a statistically significant increase in satisfaction with cancer care involving PN (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 2.30; 95% confidence interval 1.79, 2.80, p < 0.001). Pooled results from non-RCTs showed no significant association between PN and satisfaction with cancer-related care (standardized mean difference = 0.39; 95% confidence interval − 0.02, 0.80, p = 0.06).

Conclusions

Although PN has been widely implemented to improve cancer care, high-quality studies are needed to characterize the relationship between PN and satisfaction with cancer-related care.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Kathryn Houk for her support in the development of the search strategy for this systematic review. We are also thankful to Charles Wells, Roxann Mouratidis, and Robyn Rosasco for their feedback on this manuscript.

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers: 3U01CA116924-03S1, U54CA132384, U54CA132379, and R21CA161077. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA

    Kristen J. Wells, Kevin Campbell & Tatianna Clark

  2. San Diego Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

    Kristen J. Wells

  3. University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Ambuj Kumar

  4. Florida State University College of Medicine, 1115 W. Call Street, Suite G101E, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4300, USA

    Pascal Jean-Pierre

  5. Cancer Neurocognitive Translational Research Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Pascal Jean-Pierre

Authors
  1. Kristen J. Wells
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  2. Kevin Campbell
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  4. Tatianna Clark
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  5. Pascal Jean-Pierre
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pascal Jean-Pierre.

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Wells, K.J., Campbell, K., Kumar, A. et al. Effects of patient navigation on satisfaction with cancer care: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Support Care Cancer 26, 1369–1382 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-018-4108-2

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