Prevalence of unmet needs and correlated factors in advanced-stage cancer patients receiving rehabilitation

Abstract

These results suggest that psychosocial factors are important in understanding the supportive care and unmet needs of cancer patients receiving rehabilitation interventions.

Unmet care needs of advanced cancer patients and their informal caregivers: a systematic review

“…The diagnostic criteria of advanced cancer were presented in 13 studies (13/50), with five studies [ 6 , 30 , 31 , 60 , 61 ] adopting the criteria of cancer with metastasis, and seven studies [ 9 , 41 , 42 , 45 , 58 , 63 , 75 ] using the stage III/IV criterion according to TNM staging system. With regards to geographic distribution, nine studies were conducted in the USA [ 38 , 40 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 57 , 59 , 70 , 74 ], seven were in mainland China (six of which were conducted in Shanghai) [ 9 , 53 , 63 – 67 ], five in Australia [ 6 , 54 , 55 , 60 , 68 ], five in the Netherlands [ 29 – 31 , 34 , 44 ], four in Canada [ 47 , 50 , 56 , 73 ], three in Japan [ 33 , 39 , 41 ], three in Taiwan [ 35 , 42 , 62 ], two in the UK [ 69 , 71 ], two in Denmark [ 45 , 72 ], two in Hong Kong [ 58 , 75 ], and one each in Italy [ 28 ], France [ 61 ], South Korea [ 32 ], Spain [ 37 ], Indonesia [ 36 ], Czech Republic [ 43 ], India [ 51 ], and Bangladesh [ 48 ]. Characteristics and main findings of all included studies are presented in Table 2 ...…”

“…The prominent weaknesses of 43 quantitative studies were poor sampling strategy and low response rate. The response rates of 16 studies [ 32 , 33 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 47 , 52 – 56 , 61 , 63 , 68 , 74 ] were lower than 60%, and 14 studies [ 30 – 32 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 51 – 54 , 67 , 68 , 70 , 74 ] failed to report the sampling method, sampling procedure, or sample size justification. Among the seven other qualitative studies, three studies (3/7, 42.9%) [ 49 , 62 , 73 ] failed to interpret how findings were related to the study context, and two studies (2/7, 28.6%) [ 57 , 73 ] provided no explanation on how the research process was influenced by the researchers.…”

“… S5 [ 31 ]: Osse BHP, et al, 2005, QS: 3 Netherla-nds Home-based Questionnaire survey Sampling: unclear? Sample size: 112 Age (yr): 58 ± 12.3 (30–87) Gender: 66/94 (F) Distant metastatic cancer (mixed cancer sites) 94/112 (84.0%) Problems and Needs in Palliative Care questionnaire (PNPC): 10 domains and 90 items Top 10 unmet needs: 1) “difficulty coping with the unpredictability of the future” (25%), 2) “fear of metastases” (25%), 3) “fear of physical suffering” (24%), 4) “experiencing difficulties in remembering what was told” (24%), 5) “difficulties to accept the disease” (23%), 6) “extra expenditure because of disease” (23%), 7) “fear of death” (21%), 8) “frustrations because I can do less than before” (20%); 9) “experiencing loss of control over one’s life” (19%); 10) “fear of treatments” (19%) S7 [ 33 ]: Hasegawa, et al, 2016 QS: 3 Japan Inpatients Questionnaire survey Sampling: random sampling Sample size: 45 Age (yr): 66.6 ± 9.8 Gender: 21/45 (F) Advanced cancer patients (mixed cancer sites) NR Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-SF34): 5 domains and 34 items Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Top 10 Moderate-to-high unmet needs: 1) “Being informed about things you can do to help yourself to get well” (51.1%); 2) “Having one member of hospital staff with whom you can talk to about all aspects of your condition, treatment, and follow-up” (51.1%); 3) “Concerns about the worries of those close to you”(44.1%); 4) “Anxiety”(41.8%); 5) “Not being able to do the things you used to do” (37.2%); 6) “Feeling down or depressed” (37.2%); 7) “Being treated like a person not just another case” (34.8%); 8) “Hospital staff acknowledging, and showing sensitivity to, your feelings and emotional needs” (34.8%); 9) “Hospital staff attending promptly to your physical needs” (34.8%); 10) “Feelings of sadness” (32.5%); 11) “Feelings about death and dying”; (32.5%); 12) “Reassurance by medical staff that the way you feel is normal” (32.5%); 13) “Learning to feel in control of your situation” (32.5%); S8 [ 34 ]: Uitdehaag MJ et al, 2015 QS: 4 Netherla-nds Outpatients Questionnaire survey Sampling: consecutive sampling Sample size: 57 Age (yr): EC: 65 ± 11.8 PBC: 64 ± 12.2 Gender: EC: 2/24 (F) PBC:10/33 (F) Incurable EC or PBC cancer patients 57/90 (63%), with 24 EC and 33 PBC Problems and Needs in Palliative Care questionnaire (PNPC): 9 domains and ...…”

“…Study sample sizes ranged from 40 to 977, with the average sample size being 165 and the response rate ranging from 36 to 100%. Physical needs were reported in 24 studies, and the most prominent physical unmet need was fatigue [ 6 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 42 , 43 , 45 , 47 , 50 , 54 , 56 , 63 ]. In terms of ADL, 11 studies were included, and the most highlighted item was “not being able to do the things you used to do” [ 6 , 33 , 50 , 58 , 60 ].…”

Integrating referral to community-based cancer information and support services in a hospital setting

“…Guidelines recommend that all patients and their families receive comprehensive information about their disease, side effects and treatment options [6]. However, many patients still report psychological/emotional, informational, practical, and sexuality unmet needs [7,8]. In many countries community-based cancer societies provide information, emotional and practical support services to patients and their families.…”