Clinical awareness and knowledge of breast cancer‑related lymphedema among a group of psychiatrists in turkey – An online survey

Abstract

Background: The point‑of‑view and role of physiatrists are important in the clinical care of breast‑cancer‑related‑lymphedema (BCRL) patients to set up management and rehabilitation strategies. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the awareness and knowledge of BCRL among a group of physiatrists regarding its causes, symptoms, treatment, and management in Turkey. Subjects and Methods: The participants were asked to answer a 10‑min web survey, including 19 questions. In addition to their demographical and logistic properties, the questionnaire elicited data on the knowledge, education, and awareness of the physiatrists on the diagnosis and treatment of BCRL. Results: In total, 127 female and 44 male physiatrists completed the survey. Also, 71% of the participants were aged between 31 and 50 years, mostly working in metropoles and tertiary hospitals for more than 5 years. Further, 63.7% of the participants expressed that they had knowledge about BCRL; however, detailed knowledge of lymphedema treatment was low, as 67.9% of the physiatrists reported that they had no comprehensive information about complete‑decongestive‑therapy. Nearly half of the participants did not believe that once lymphedema has clinically manifested, a patient can eventually be treated for BCRL. Also, 87% of the participants had attended less than two educational events related to BCRL in the past 5 years. In all, 94.7% of the physicians determined a great need for education and awareness of the current literature about BCRL. Conclusion: The awareness and knowledge of lymphedema is moderate but detailed information, knowledge, and education about lymphedema and its treatment are low among a group of physiatrists. With the growing number of breast cancer survivors, physiatrists’ awareness and education about BCRL are crucial to improve the quality of care of patients.