[Need for Further Training for Function Holders of Cancer Self-Help Organizations]

As part of the Center for Competence Development in Cancer Self-Help at the University Medical Center Freiburg, an analysis of the need for training and education was conducted among the member organizations of the House of the Cancer Patient Support Associations of Germany (HKSH).

The online survey took place from February to April 2021 and was completed by functionaries at various organization levels and group members. In a questionnaire developed together with self-help representatives 19 potential training topics were ranked in terms of importance. In addition, it was indicated whether the respective topic was perceived as sufficiently covered by already existing qualification offers. Using a forced-choice approach, respondents finally named the five most important topics for them.

The topics that a particularly high proportion of the N=293 respondents identified as "very important" and which at the same time were perceived as inadequately addressed by existing qualification offers were dealing with stressful issues (e. g. relapse, metastases, dying), recruiting new members and successors for association tasks, socio-legal aspects, as well as conversational and communication skills. In the prioritization of the five most important topics, the first three topics were named again, with dealing with excessive demands and assistance for self-care/burnout prevention following in fourth place and in the fifth place the topics of knowledge in dealing with complementary medicine and knowledge of professional care structures in oncology, each with the same number of votes.

There was a clear need for a broad range of training topics that goes beyond the existing offers of the cancer self-help organizations. Through the needs analysis, the topics could be identified which are prioritized as training topics across all ten member organizations of the HKSH.

Based on this needs assessment, the respective training courses can be prioritized and implemented in cooperation with the patient representatives of the HKSH.