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Unmet Supportive Care Needs and Associated Factors: a Cross-sectional Survey of Chinese Cancer Survivors

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Abstract

To assess cancer survivors’ unmet supportive care needs and associated factors. Limited evidence is available about the supportive care needs of Chinese cancer survivors to inform future service planning. A cross-sectional survey was conducted (STROBE cross-sectional checklist used for report). Standardized questionnaires were administered to 364 cancer survivors. Using the Supportive Care Framework as conceptual framework, factors concerning individuals’ cognitive appraisals of their situation and social resources were examined to explore their association with unmet supportive care needs. The most common unmet supportive care needs included concern about the cancer coming back (51.5%), the need for up-to-date information (49.3%), collaborative management with the medical team (48.8%), and financial support (48.8%). Factors associated with greater strength of unmet supportive care needs included being female, having higher personal support, and higher self-efficacy pertaining to social relationship. Having lower support from family and friends was a contributing factor associated with greater strength of unmet needs in comprehensive cancer care and relationship, as was lower self-efficacy pertaining to uncertainty management associated with greater strength of unmet needs in quality of life, and lower self-efficacy pertaining to health professional interaction associated with greater strength of unmet needs in information. Chinese cancer survivors experience a number of unmet supportive needs. Female and rural cancer survivors, and those with lower social support level and self-efficacy are susceptible to having higher levels of unmet supportive care needs. Consistent information provision and peer support system establishment are two potentially beneficial approaches to meet cancer patients’ long-term supportive care needs. Females and rural cancer survivors, those with less support from family and friends, and those with lower self-efficacy in interactions with health professionals and in managing uncertainty are especially at risk for unmet supportive care needs.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants in the study.

Funding

This work was funded by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation, China, LQ17H160014, and the QianJiang Talent Plan QJC1302003.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hangzhou Normal University, No.2318,Yuhangtang Rd, Cangqian, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Yan Lou & Hong Xu

  2. Queensland University of Technology, Cnr Musk and Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia

    Patsy Yates & Raymond Javan Chan

  3. Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Bowen Bridge Road &, Butterfield St, Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia

    Patsy Yates

  4. Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, 199 Ipswich Rd, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia

    Raymond Javan Chan

  5. Hangzhou Dajiangdong Hospital, 98 Yilong Road, YiPeng District, Xianshan, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaosha Ni

  6. China Jiliang University, No. 258,Xueyuan Street, Xiasha Higher Education Zone, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China

    Wenyi Hu

  7. Cancer Rehabilitation Society of Zhejiang Anti-cancer Association (ZJACA) Zhejiang Province Science association building, Wulin Square, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China

    Shengjun Zhuo

Authors
  1. Yan Lou
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  7. Hong Xu
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Correspondence to Yan Lou.

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What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?

• This study found that “fear of cancer recurrence,” “up-to-date understandable information,” “financial concerns,” “peer support” and “to manage health together with the medical team” are significant unmet needs across different stages of cancer survivorship.

• Cancer patients living in rural areas may have higher unmet needs in the quality of life domain compared with metropolitan counterparts; female cancer survivors reported higher levels of unmet needs in the existential survivorship and comprehensive care than male survivors.

• Cancer survivors with higher social support from family and friends, and lower levels of personal support is associated with lower unmet supportive care needs in comprehensive care and relationships domains.

• Cancer survivors with lower self-efficacy in their interactions with health professionals reported higher unmet needs in the information domains. In addition, lower self-efficacy in uncertainty management was associated with higher unmet supportive care needs in quality of life.

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Lou, Y., Yates, P., Chan, R.J. et al. Unmet Supportive Care Needs and Associated Factors: a Cross-sectional Survey of Chinese Cancer Survivors. J Canc Educ 36, 1219–1229 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01752-y

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