Hermann Faller1, Uwe Koch2, Elmar Brähler3,4, Martin Härter2, Monika Keller5, Holger Schulz2, Karl Wegscheider6, Joachim Weis7, Anna Boehncke7, Bianca Hund8,9, Katrin Reuter9, Matthias Richard10, Susanne Sehner6, Carina Szalai3,11, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen12, Anja Mehnert2,3. 1. Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Würzburg, Klinikstrasse 3, 97070, Würzburg, Germany. h.faller@uni-wuerzburg.de. 2. Department and Outpatient Clinic of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. 3. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Section of Psychosocial Oncology, University Medical Center Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 55, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. 4. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Universal Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacherstrasse 8, 55131, Mainz, Germany. 5. Division of Psychooncology, Department for Psychosomatic and General Clinical Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 155, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. 6. Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. 7. Department of Psychooncology, Tumor Biology Center, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 117, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. 8. Rhein-Jura Klinik, Bad Säckingen, Germany. 9. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 5, 79104, Freiburg, Germany. 10. Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, University of Würzburg, Klinikstrasse 3, 97070, Würzburg, Germany. 11. Psychosocial Counselling Center for Cancer Patients, Schlobigplatz 23, 08056, Zwickau, Germany. 12. Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy and Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technical University Dresden, Chemnitzer Strasse 46, 01187, Dresden, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Information needs in cancer patients are high but often not fulfilled. This study aimed to examine the level of perceived information, information satisfaction, and unmet needs in a large sample of cancer patients. Further, we explored associations with emotional distress and quality of life accounting for gender. METHODS: In a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Germany, 4020 cancer patients (mean age 58 years, 51 % women) were evaluated. We obtained self-reports of information level, information satisfaction, and unmet needs, measured depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), symptoms of anxiety with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and health-related quality of life with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS: Seventy-two to 88 % of participants reported to be well informed regarding various aspects of their disease, except of psychological support (38 %). However, unmet information needs were also prevalent in 36 to 48 %. Gender differences found were generally small. Although men felt less informed about psychological support, they expressed fewer needs for further information regarding this topic. Irrespective of gender, patients who were less satisfied with information received and had more unmet needs reported more anxiety, depression, and lower quality of life. Up to three quarters of those classified as most severely distressed reported unmet needs for information about psychological support. CONCLUSIONS: In this largest study to date, we found high levels of both information received and satisfaction with information, but also considerable amounts of unmet needs, particularly regarding psychological support. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Provision of information about psychosocial support seems important to increase utilization of support offers among distressed cancer survivors.
PURPOSE: Information needs in cancerpatients are high but often not fulfilled. This study aimed to examine the level of perceived information, information satisfaction, and unmet needs in a large sample of cancerpatients. Further, we explored associations with emotional distress and quality of life accounting for gender. METHODS: In a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Germany, 4020 cancerpatients (mean age 58 years, 51 % women) were evaluated. We obtained self-reports of information level, information satisfaction, and unmet needs, measured depressive symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), symptoms of anxiety with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and health-related quality of life with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). RESULTS: Seventy-two to 88 % of participants reported to be well informed regarding various aspects of their disease, except of psychological support (38 %). However, unmet information needs were also prevalent in 36 to 48 %. Gender differences found were generally small. Although men felt less informed about psychological support, they expressed fewer needs for further information regarding this topic. Irrespective of gender, patients who were less satisfied with information received and had more unmet needs reported more anxiety, depression, and lower quality of life. Up to three quarters of those classified as most severely distressed reported unmet needs for information about psychological support. CONCLUSIONS: In this largest study to date, we found high levels of both information received and satisfaction with information, but also considerable amounts of unmet needs, particularly regarding psychological support. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Provision of information about psychosocial support seems important to increase utilization of support offers among distressed cancer survivors.
Entities:
Keywords:
Anxiety; Cancer; Depression; Information; Needs; Quality of life
Authors: Olga Husson; Melissa S Y Thong; Floortje Mols; Simone Oerlemans; Adrian A Kaptein; Lonneke V van de Poll-Franse Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2012-02-06 Impact factor: 3.894
Authors: Juan Ignacio Arraras; Eva Greimel; Orhan Sezer; Wei-Chu Chie; Mia Bergenmar; Anna Costantini; Teresa Young; Karin Kuljanic Vlasic; Galina Velikova Journal: Eur J Cancer Date: 2010-07-30 Impact factor: 9.162
Authors: Gillian Spiegle; Eisar Al-Sukhni; Selina Schmocker; Anna R Gagliardi; J Charles Victor; Nancy N Baxter; Erin D Kennedy Journal: Cancer Date: 2012-07-18 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Bernd Löwe; Oliver Decker; Stefanie Müller; Elmar Brähler; Dieter Schellberg; Wolfgang Herzog; Philipp Yorck Herzberg Journal: Med Care Date: 2008-03 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: L E Carlson; M Angen; J Cullum; E Goodey; J Koopmans; L Lamont; J H MacRae; M Martin; G Pelletier; J Robinson; J S A Simpson; M Speca; L Tillotson; B D Bultz Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2004-06-14 Impact factor: 7.640
Authors: Andreas Hinz; Joachim Weis; Hermann Faller; Elmar Brähler; Martin Härter; Monika Keller; Holger Schulz; Karl Wegscheider; Uwe Koch; Kristina Geue; Heide Götze; Anja Mehnert Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2018-04-26 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Luca M Saadeh; Annelijn E Slaman; Eleonora Pinto; Suzanne S Gisbertz; Francesco Cavallin; Egle Jezerskyte; Rita Alfieri; Loes Noteboom; Maria Cristina Bellissimo; Matteo Cagol; Giovanni Pirozzolo; Carlo Castoro; Marco Scarpa; Mark I van Berge Henegouwen Journal: J Thorac Dis Date: 2018-08 Impact factor: 2.895
Authors: Erin M Bange; Abigail Doucette; Peter E Gabriel; Florence Porterfield; James J Harrigan; Robin Wang; Andrzej P Wojcieszynski; Ben Boursi; Bethany I Mooney; Kim A Reiss; Ronac Mamtani Journal: JCO Oncol Pract Date: 2020-03-04
Authors: Mark C Hornbrook; Marcia Grant; Christopher Wendel; Joanna E Bulkley; Carmit K Mcmullen; Andrea Altschuler; Larissa Kf Temple; Lisa J Herrinton; Robert S Krouse Journal: Perm J Date: 2018
Authors: Eleonora Pinto; Francesco Cavallin; Luca Maria Saadeh; Maria Cristina Bellissimo; Rita Alfieri; Silvia Mantoan; Matteo Cagol; Carlo Castoro; Marco Scarpa Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2017-12-19 Impact factor: 3.603