Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of older age, on supportive care needs, information satisfaction and service needs in the year following a cancer diagnosis.
Methods
Primary or recurrent prostate, breast, lung or colorectal cancer patients (n = 394) were prospectively surveyed 3 and 9 months post-diagnosis using the Support Care Needs Survey (SCNS-LF59) and Information Satisfaction (ISQ) and Service Needs (SNQ) questionnaires. Two age groups were compared: ≥65 years (senior) versus ≤64 years (junior).
Results
Few differences emerged between age groups (SCNS) with the exception of psychological (p < 0.001) and sexuality (p < 0.001) domains where these were greater in the younger patients 3 months post-diagnosis. Sexuality (p < 0.001) and patient care and support (p = 0.023) needs were predicted by age (continuous); younger patients had more needs at 3 months post-diagnosis. For information satisfaction, the older group preferred doctors to make decisions (3 months p < 0.001; 9 months p = 0.008) and preferred positive information (3 months p = 0.006). For the whole group fears about cancer spreading (51 %) and returning (45 %) predominate, alongside patients’ concerns about worries of those closest to them (51 %) and uncertainty about their future (42 %) at 3 months.
Conclusions
Older patients differ on information satisfaction showing a preference for doctors to make treatment decisions. For supportive care, there were few age differences; however, the SCNS sexuality and patient care and support domains indicate greater need in younger patients around the 3-month period following diagnosis. With a few exceptions, individual rather than age-specific needs determine supportive and informational care requirements.
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Notes
The analysis was also made excluding scores in the ‘unsure’ category. As there were no differences in probability values, we report only the scores as indicated.
Data not available on characteristics of the non-responder group.
For QoL, increasing scores on general health (GH) and physical health (PH) are related to improvements in functioning
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a grant [Ref: 08205] from the Royal Marsden Charitable Fund. Dr. Charlotte White offered helpful review comments. We thank all clinicians approving the inclusion of their patients, and we especially thank the patients who gave their time to participate.
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Author contributions declaration
Maggie Watson as the study PI initiated and managed the project and wrote the study report. Sue Davolls as the research assistant was responsible for day-to-day study management, data collection and data entry. Kabir Mohammed was the study statistician and contributed to data analysis and writing the study report. Sarah Shepherd was a volunteer M.Sc student who assisted with some data collection and data entry. All authors have read and agreed the draft manuscript and agreed the order of authorship. Authorship order reflects the scope of the individual’s contribution to the research.
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Watson, M., Davolls, S., Mohammed, K. et al. The influence of life stage on supportive care and information needs in cancer patients: does older age matter?. Support Care Cancer 23, 2981–2988 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2665-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2665-1