Perceived Versus Demonstrated Oncofertility Knowledge Among Oncology Providers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Health

Background:

• Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer face risks of treatment-related infertility.
• Gaps in fertility preservation (FP) counseling persist, with limited understanding of provider-level barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate oncology providers' perceived versus demonstrated knowledge of FP guidelines.
• To identify barriers to providing comprehensive oncofertility care for AYAs.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey of oncology providers at an academic medical center.
• Assessment of provider demographics, training, counseling/referral practices, and perceived barriers.
• Comparison of self-rated FP knowledge with performance on guideline-based clinical vignettes.

Main Results:

• Providers reported limited formal oncofertility training and variable knowledge across FP strategies.
• A trend towards discordance between perceived and demonstrated FP knowledge was noted.
• Limited awareness of institutional FP resources and frequent citation of patient-level barriers were observed.

Conclusions:

• Oncology providers may overestimate their oncofertility knowledge, impacting FP counseling consistency.
• Gaps in training and awareness necessitate competency-based education and improved institutional support.
• Objective assessments are crucial for identifying knowledge gaps and guiding interventions for guideline-concordant FP care.