Educational support programme for gynaecological cancer patients and their families

In order to improve psychosocial support for gynaecological cancer patients and their families a project with educational and supportive group programmes was started. This article presents an evaluation of the project. The study group consisted of those patients and next-of-kin who wished to participate in the educational support group programmes (n = 36 + 8). Patients from distant parts of the catchment area who were not able to participate constituted the controls (n = 25). A graded Likert-like questionnaire and a short profile of mood state (POMS) were completed before and after intervention. Patients who actively chose to participate differed from the unselected control group even prior to educational intervention. In certain issues their perceived knowledge about cancer was inferior to that of the controls and they felt more confused and angry than the control group (p < = 0.05). After intervention, the patients in the interventional group reported a significantly improved level of knowledge about cancer than the controls (p < 0.001, group by time interaction). The qualitative section of the evaluation revealed that the most positive experiences coupled with participation were the information and knowledge received and the mutual understanding experienced together with the other group members.