Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of practitioners supporting cancer patients in fertility preservation in DKI Jakarta: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

More than 135,000 people aged under 45 yr are diagnosed with cancer annually in Indonesia. Good detection and management of cancer increase the quality of life.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of practitioners supporting cancer patients in fertility preservation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 18 type D government hospitals and Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, in Jakarta, Indonesia, between January 2018 and August 2019. This study involved practitioners providing care to cancer patients. Data were described descriptively.

RESULTS

Most of the general practitioners, specialists, and subspecialists who participated in this study were aged 26-30 yr (65.4%), 31-35 yr (70.4%), and 31-40 yr (53.0%), respectively. The fertility treatment most known by general practitioners was in vitro fertilization with embryo cryopreservation (12.1%); for specialists it was sperm cryopreservation (24.5%). Meanwhile, subspecialists knew most about in vitro fertilization with embryo cryopreservation and sperm cryopreservation using a GnRH agonist (such as leuprolide injection) pre-cancer treatment (13%). A positive attitude towards fertility preservation as an important priority for cancer patients was shown in 72.0% of general practitioners, 73.3% of specialists, and 100% of subspecialists. General practitioners mostly referred patients to fertility specialists (44.4%). Many specialists (54.9%) and subspecialists (67%) discussed the possible impact of the patient's condition and / or treatment on fertility.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge of and practices related to fertility preservation differed among general practitioners, specialists, and subspecialists. However, positive attitudes among them were similar.