Our global bladder cancer patient experience survey launches today

The findings will fill a critical evidence gap, on patient and carer experiences and guide our future work.

This survey is now closed.

We are proud to launch the first-ever global bladder cancer patient and carer experience survey, in partnership with our 11 member organisations.

Globally there are over 570,000 people newly diagnosed with bladder cancer each year, and 1.7 million people currently living with this disease.

“The worldwide unique insights and experiences of patients and carers have not previously been measured, and are thus not appropriately integrated into policy, advocacy, and research decisions” said Ken Bagshaw, bladder cancer patient in Canada and Founding President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition.

Patient and carer experience data help to identify what is important to them, and in turn, drive patient-centred care improvements. Yet currently, this data is lacking and there’s an urgent need to fill this evidence gap.

The survey itself covers the entire bladder cancer patient pathway – from symptoms, screening, diagnosis, treatment and care, through to follow-up and survivorship. It is a mix between multiple choice and free text questions, and is available in English immediately. In the coming two weeks it will be made available in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Norwegian, Arabic, Japanese, French, Russian and Hindi. The survey will remain open until December 1, 2021, or until we have reached the minimum number of respondents required to have a meaningful analysis.

“Patient experience data can be often overlooked, but they are key to understanding how our healthcare systems are performing for those they are designed to serve” said Dr Ashish Kamat, Chair of the WBCPC Expert Advisory Committee, and Professor of Urologic Oncology (Surgery) at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; “I’m delighted to contribute to this important work, that will eventually paint a fuller picture of bladder cancer care”.

Findings will be translated into a well-argued report analysing the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the bladder cancer care pathway from the patient perspective.

For more information, visit the project page.

If you wish to get involved, contact: info@worldbladdercancer.org