Cancer patients' distresses and inquiries: proposal of four-level classification based on consultation service and questionnaire survey.

The present study was undertaken to understand the realities of cancer patients' and their family members' distresses and inquiries, including medical/physical, emotional/spiritual and social/economic problems, from scientific viewpoints. The initial step of the study was to develop the classification category for these distresses and inquiries. The category was proposed based on information from two different sources; one is the consultation records of the Patient Support and Inquiry Division, Shizuoka Cancer Center and the other is the database of the Questionnaire Survey, which consisted of more than 25,000 distresses from 7885 people who faced up to cancer. The four-level classification category was constructed from 16 primary categories, 35 secondary categories, 129 tertiary categories and 619 quaternary categories. The classification category made it possible to analyze the distresses of cancer patients and their family members. The present study demonstrated the differences between the patterns of distresses for the consultation service and the questionnaire survey. In consultation centers belonging to hospitals, such as the Patient Support and Inquiry Division in the Shizuoka Cancer Center, patients wanted to consult on distresses and inquiries related to medical care. In contrast, they rarely consulted on emotional/spiritual or social problems. Based on the present classification category, we are developing a database called 'Questions and Answers for Cancer Patients' Distresses'. The database enables medical staff to learn what distresses patients and their family members, and to implement high-quality consultation in cancer clinics.