Table 12 Telephone follow-up after treatment for breast cancer
From: Heterogeneity in pragmatic randomised trials: sources and management
Patients: Women treated for breast cancer, with a low to moderate risk of recurrence Centres: 2 UK centres Intervention: Telephone follow-up Control: Traditional hospital follow-up Outcome: Psychological morbidity assessed notably by the mean state-trait score Design: Two parallel-group individually randomised trial | |
Difference between patients who agreed or refused to be included | “Those who refused to take part differed from participants in study site, social class, and follow-up status. Patients at the specialist breast unit (71%) were more likely to want to participate than those at the district general hospital (61%, χ2 = 5.01, df = 1, P = 0.025), participants from higher social classes (professional occupations) were more likely to want to participate than those from lower social classes (χ2 = 15.77, df = 8, P = 0.046), and participants with three to 12 months between visits (67.7%, 70.6%) were more likely to participate than those on six monthly follow-up (58.1%, χ2 = 7.66, df = 2, P = 0.022). Time from diagnosis did not differ significantly for those who did or did not take part (t = − 0.26, P = 0.80); those who refused to take part were a median of 21 months from diagnosis.” |