PURPOSE: This study aims to develop a psychometrically rigorous instrument to measure the unmet needs of adult cancer survivors who are 1 to 5 years post-cancer diagnosis. "Unmet needs" distinguishes between problems which survivors experience and problems which they desire help in managing. METHODS: The survey was developed from a comprehensive literature review, qualitative analysis of the six most important unmet needs of 71 cancer survivors, review of the domains and items by survivors and experts, cognitive interviews and a pilot test of 100 survivors. A stratified random sample of 550 cancer survivors, selected from a population-based Cancer Registry, completed a mailed survey to establish reliability and validity. RESULTS: The final 89-item Survivors Unmet Needs Survey (SUNS) has high acceptability, item test-retest reliability and internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha 0.990), face, content and construct validity. Five subscales measure Emotional Health needs (33 items, 19.4% of variance), Access and Continuity of Care (22 items, 15.1%), Relationships (15 items, 12.1%), Financial Concerns (11 items, 10.3%) and Information needs (eight items, 8.1% of the variance). CONCLUSIONS: This instrument has strong psychometric properties and is useful for determining the prevalence and predictors of cancer survivors' unmet needs across types of cancer, length of survivorship and socio-demographic characteristics. Use of the SUNS will enable more effective targeting of programmes and services and guide policy and health planning decisions. RELEVANCE: This study is an important step toward evidence-based planning and management of problems which the growing survivor population requires assistance in managing.
PURPOSE: This study aims to develop a psychometrically rigorous instrument to measure the unmet needs of adult cancer survivors who are 1 to 5 years post-cancer diagnosis. "Unmet needs" distinguishes between problems which survivors experience and problems which they desire help in managing. METHODS: The survey was developed from a comprehensive literature review, qualitative analysis of the six most important unmet needs of 71 cancer survivors, review of the domains and items by survivors and experts, cognitive interviews and a pilot test of 100 survivors. A stratified random sample of 550 cancer survivors, selected from a population-based Cancer Registry, completed a mailed survey to establish reliability and validity. RESULTS: The final 89-item Survivors Unmet Needs Survey (SUNS) has high acceptability, item test-retest reliability and internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha 0.990), face, content and construct validity. Five subscales measure Emotional Health needs (33 items, 19.4% of variance), Access and Continuity of Care (22 items, 15.1%), Relationships (15 items, 12.1%), Financial Concerns (11 items, 10.3%) and Information needs (eight items, 8.1% of the variance). CONCLUSIONS: This instrument has strong psychometric properties and is useful for determining the prevalence and predictors of cancer survivors' unmet needs across types of cancer, length of survivorship and socio-demographic characteristics. Use of the SUNS will enable more effective targeting of programmes and services and guide policy and health planning decisions. RELEVANCE: This study is an important step toward evidence-based planning and management of problems which the growing survivor population requires assistance in managing.
Authors: Nina A Bickell; Andrea N Geduld; Kathie-Ann Joseph; Joseph A Sparano; M Margaret Kemeny; Soji Oluwole; Tehillah Menes; Anitha Srinivasan; Rebeca Franco; Kezhen Fei; Howard Leventhal Journal: J Oncol Pract Date: 2013-09-10 Impact factor: 3.840
Authors: H Sharon Campbell; Alix E Hall; Rob W Sanson-Fisher; Daniel Barker; Donna Turner; Jill Taylor-Brown Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2013-11-29 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Devesh Oberoi; Victoria M White; John F Seymour; H Miles Prince; Simon Harrison; Michael Jefford; Ingrid Winship; David Hill; Damien Bolton; Anne Kay; Jeremy Millar; Nicole Wong Doo; Graham Giles Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2017-06-30 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Elise Mansfield; Lisa Mackenzie; Mariko Carey; Kerry Peek; Jan Shepherd; Tiffany-Jane Evans Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2017-09-22 Impact factor: 3.603