Care Diaries

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Abstract
Head and neck (H&N) cancer patients and their families meet a large number of clinicians during their long treatment period and many of them find it difficult to understand all the information given concerning their illness, treatment, and care. We have developed a care diary for these patients and their families, used also by the clinicians involved, to improve communication and patient involvement. The present survey was an evaluation of the helpfulness of those diaries. Anonymous answered questionnaires were collected from 42 H&N cancer patients, 28 family members, and 47 clinicians of different categories. Altogether 85% of the respondents stated that the care diaries had a positive effect on information, in general, and communication. It is recommended that care diaries should be implemented in the standard care for H&N cancer patients and their families. To improve the clinical value, it is particularly important to inform the clinicians on how to use the care diaries. The content and layout of the care diaries needs to be developed according to suggestions given from the respondents in this survey.