Unmet needs and related factors of Korean breast cancer survivors: a multicenter, cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Identification of specific needs in patients with cancer is very important for the provision of patient-centered medical service. The aim of this study was to investigate the unmet needs and related factors of Korean breast cancer survivors. Methods A multicenter, cross-sectional, interview survey was performed among 332 Korean breast cancer survivors. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for cancer patients was administered to survivors who gave written informed consent to participate. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. Results The level of unmet needs was highest in the domain ‘Information and education’ (mean ± SD; 1.70 ± 1.14) and the item with the highest level of unmet needs was ‘Needed help in coping with fear of recurrence’ (2.04 ± 1.09). Unmet needs were correlated with age, stage, multiplicity, HER2, treatment state, marital status, employment, psychosocial status, and problems in EQ-5D dimensions. In multiple regression analysis, the 50–59 age group showed a higher level of recognition for physical symptom needs and the unemployed group expressed greater needs for information and education. Survivors with multiplicity had greater needs in the domains of healthcare staff and physical symptom. The stress group showed high levels of needs in all domains except religious support. The group with thoughts of suicide showed higher levels of unmet needs for physical symptom. Conclusion Most prevalent unmet needs in Korean breast cancer survivors were found in the ‘information and education’ domain. The 50–59 age group, unemployment, multiplicity, stress and suicidal thoughts were associated with higher levels of unmet needs among Korean breast cancer survivors. Our findings revealed more vulnerable breast cancer survivors with unmet needs and physicians should take a precision approach to satisfy unmet needs of these survivors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-019-6064-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Factors Influencing Supportive Care Needs of Colorectal Cancer Survivors

“…Our results were close to those of Santin et al's study (2015) [15], which suggested that the inability to meet needs of these patients could reduce their QoL. Our results were also similar to a previous study revealing that survivors of Korean breast cancer with QoL problems reported a higher degree of supportive care needs [38]. Thus, satisfying colorectal cancer survivors' supportive care needs could lower their level of depression and anxiety and increase their QoL.…”

“…Results of our research were similar to those of previous studies that indicated that patients who completed treatment recently had high supportive care needs [32] and that anxiety was associated with supportive care needs and QoL in breast cancer survivors [40]. Our results were also similar to results of a previous study on factors influencing supportive care needs of breast cancer survivors in South Korea [38]. This means that supportive care needs of cancer survivors may increase immediately after treatment because of anxiety about new changes, although it is believed that supportive care needs are decreased as patients adapt to life [41].…”

“…The reason might be because the QoL of colorectal cancer survivors was not different from that of the general population [39]. As breast cancer survivors with QoL problems show higher levels of unmet needs [38], further studies on the influence of QoL on supportive care needs should be conducted for other types of cancer survivors.…”

Physicians' Awareness of the Breast Cancer Survivors' Unmet Needs in Korea

“…Among physicians, the level of unmet needs of Korean breast cancer survivors was perceived to be highest in the hospital service domain, whereas Korean breast cancer survivors reported the highest unmet needs in the information and education domain [ 17 ]. In other words, while survivors reported greater unmet needs for information about methods for overcoming their disease or recurrence, physicians perceived survivors as having higher needs for shorter waiting times before treatment, rehabilitation, or psychological services.…”

Identification of Korean cancer survivors’ unmet needs and desired psychosocial assistance: A focus group study

“…There have been several quantitative studies on the psychosocial difficulties and unmet needs of Korean cancer survivors [6,7]. However, quantitative studies have limitations in identifying unmet needs, as respondents' voices and experiences are not covered intimately.…”