Comfort program: Accessible strategy to give voice to a little heard patient

Abstract

Objective: We analyzed the accessibility of a virtual program developed for women with advanced cancer undergoing
chemotherapy treatment by the Unified Health System. We ranked the benefits of participating in the program according to the patient’s experience. Methodology: A longitudinal study of quantitative and qualitative was carried out with
78 women diagnosed with locally advanced and/or metastatic breast and gynecological cancer. All participants used the
Comfort Program for at least one chemotherapy cycle over the 6 months of the study. We carried out a semi-structured
interview to absorb the experience throughout the participation in the program. Data were analyzed with descriptive and
inferential statistics, using Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation test. Qualitative analysis was performed by two independent evaluators using Bardin’s content analysis method. Results: There was no correlation between the frequency of
participation in the program and social factors (age, education level, and income). Most of the participants reported more
about their symptoms to the oncologists (70.4%; N 57), the oncologists encouraged their participation in the program and
helped with the reported symptoms (60%; N 52), and 91% (N 75) of the patients denied difficulties with understanding of
the guidelines offered throughout the participation. The program was classified according to three categories: practicality
with the use of the Internet, welcoming space, and ease of reaching help/referrals. The difficulties were related to physical discomfort, forgetfulness, and the unavailability of the internet. Conclusion: In another study, we found benefits of
using the Comfort Program in the management of symptoms during chemotherapy. In this study, in addition to numbers,
patients brought their own perception of the program and we identified that it is an accessible strategy, facilitating communication between patients and care providers. Regardless of the frequency of participation, women showed greater
attention to discomfort, which may suggest greater tolerance to chemotherapy treatment.