Open AccessPattern and Predictors of Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Cancer Patients
Author(s) -
Paul Okediji,
Omolola Salako,
Omolara Fatiregun
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of global oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.002
H-Index - 17
ISSN - 2378-9506
DOI - 10.1200/jgo.18.51500
Subject(s) - medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , feeling , medline , cancer , marital status , disease , family medicine , needs assessment , gerontology , nursing , environmental health , population , psychology , social psychology , social science , sociology , political science , law
Background: The incidence of cancers is increasing, and this is associated with an increase in the burden of the disease. Patients with cancer have to deal with reduced physical functioning, emotional instability, difficulty in concentrating, and an overall diminished feeling of well-being. This creates deficits that have not been well catered for by traditional cancer care, leading to an overall dissatisfaction with care, and a reduced quality of life. Aim: This review aims at assessing the pattern of unmet needs in cancer patients and to provide information as to the factors that influence the perception of unmet needs. Methods: Studies directly focused on unmet needs in cancer patients were retrieved from MEDLINE, PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase, and Google Scholar; from the earliest records until 2016. Unmet needs in cancer patients have been measured with a wide variety of tools, with the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS) being the most commonly used as a result of its strong psychometric properties, ease of use, responsiveness, and its coverage of all the domains of unmet needs. Results: The most common unmet needs were in the domains of health system and information, psychological, and physical and daily living. These needs were influenced by sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, marital status, income level; and clinical factors such as location of cancer, stage of disease, and tumor size. Conclusion: It is clear that cancer patients experience a wide range of unmet supportive needs, for which efforts need to be desperately made to improve the supportive care services for these patients and their quality of life. While it may not be possible to meet all the needs of every cancer patient, routine and regular monitoring of unmet needs using the appropriate tools is crucial so that cancer care and other health professionals can develop, implement, and streamline specific aspects of cancer care to strategically meet the specific needs of their patients.