Megan Olson

Gynecologic oncology survivors face many challenges during and after their cancer treatment. Emotional and social support can help mitigate the potential negative effects on quality of life and can improve patient’s mental health. Our objective for this study was to assess whether patient’s satisfaction with the support received from their healthcare team was associated with anxiety, depression, and distress symptoms. Individuals with a previous gynecologic cancer diagnosis treated at the University of Minnesota completed a cross-sectional survey regarding their satisfaction with the support provider by various members of their healthcare team: physicians, nurses, and other support staff. A total of 233 participants completed the survey; the average age was 60.6±10.6 years and most were diagnosed with ovarian (37.2%) or endometrial cancer (45%). The overwhelming majority (82.9%) of respondents were highly satisfied with the care they received and valued this support. Overall, this study found that gynecologic oncology patients receiving care at the University of Minnesota are satisfied with the support they are receiving from their healthcare team. Future research gathering longitudinal data from diagnosis through treatment and beyond would provide further insight into gynecologic oncology patient’s emotional health as it relates to support satisfaction.