Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Oncology professionals and patient requests for cancer support services

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To examine the kinds of psychosocial support services that cancer patients most often request across a multidisciplinary sample of currently practicing U.S. oncological health care professionals (OHCPs) representative of a typical cancer care team.

Participants

Primary data collection. A randomly selected sample of 1,180 OHCPs (44% physicians, 24% nurses, 32% social workers) who were active members of their respective oncological associations completed a brief four-page mailed survey during the spring of 2001.

Methods

Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Descriptive statistics were computed for all study variables. ANOVA procedures were used to examine demographic difference between respondents and nonrespondents. Frequencies were calculated for patient inquires for cancer support services inquiries, and logistic regression was used to evaluate professional group differences on inquiries. Chi-square statistics were used to test for significant differences between professional groups.

Results

Approximately 94% of OHCPs were asked about cancer-related support services by their patients. Quantitative data indicated that information and education about cancer (72%), support groups (65%), and hospice referral (52%) were paramount among patient concerns. Qualitatively, comments about transportation, lodging during treatment, and alternative medicine reflected the general sentiment that basic needs and opportunities for options may still be unmet. Patient inquiries for services varied significantly by professional group (p <.001).

Conclusion

This information reflects the need for a multidisciplinary perspective and will be useful for planning patient-based cancer education and support initiatives, refining existing programs, and targeting materials to specific oncological professionals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ashbury FD, Findlay H, Reynolds B, McKerracher K (1998) A Canadian survey of cancer patients’ experiences: Are their needs being met? J Pain Symptom Manage 16:298–306

    Google Scholar 

  2. Auerbach SM (2001) Do patients want control over their own health care? A review of measures, findings, and research issues. J Health Psychol 6:191–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Blake-Mortimer J, Gore-Felton C, Kimerling R, Turner-Cobb JM, Spiegel D (1999) Improving the quality and quantity of life among patients with cancer: A review of the effectiveness of group psychotherapy. Euro J Cancer 35:1581–1586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Brady MJ, Peterman AH, Fitchett G, Mo M, Cella D (1999) A case for including spirituality in quality of life measurement in oncology Psycho Oncol 8:417–428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Brody DS, Miller SM, Lerman CE, Smith DG, Lazaro CG, Blum MJ (1989) The relationship between patients’ satisfaction with their physicians and perceptions about interventions they desired and received. Med Care 27:1027–1035

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Centers for Disease Control (2004) Leading causes of death, 2001. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm. Cited 30 Jan 2004

  7. Champman K, Rush K (2003) Patient and family satisfaction with cancer-related information: A review of the literature. Can Oncol Nurs J 13:107–116

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Charles K, Sellick SM, Montesanto B, Mohide EA (1996) Priorities of cancer survivors regarding psychosocial needs. J Psychosoc Oncol 14:57–72

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cho WH, Lee H, Kim C, Lee S, Choi K-S (2004) The impact of visit frequency on the relationship between service quality and outpatient satisfaction: A South Korean study. Health Serv Res 39:13–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Crooks DL., Whelan TJ, Reyno L, Willan A, Tozer R, Mings D, Miller J, Tew M, Elliott P, Levine M (2004). The Initial Health Assessment: An intervention to identify the supportive care needs of cancer patients. Sup Care Cancer 12:19–24

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cummings SM, Savitz LA, Konrad TR (2001) Reported response rates to mailed physician questionnaires. Health Serv Res 35:1347–1355

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Eakin EG, Strycker LA (2001) Awareness and barriers to use of cancer support and information resources by HMO patients with breast, prostate, or colon cancer: Patient and provider perspectives. Psycho Oncol 10:103–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fawzy FI, Fawzy NW, Arndt LA, Pasnau RO (1995) Critical review of psychosocial interventions in cancer care. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2:100–113

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fawzy FI (1999) Psychosocial interventions for patients with cancer: What works and what doesn’t. Euro J Cancer 35:1559–1564

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ferrell BR, Grant M, Borneman T, Juarez G, terVeer AT (1999) Family caregiving in cancer pain management. J Palliat Med 2:185–195

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fervers B, Demma F, Farsi F, Sandrin-Berthon B, Douiller A, Delavigne V et al (1999) Development of information sources for cancer patients based on clinical practice guidelines and patient needs (Abstract). Annual Meeting of the Internation Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care 15:133

    Google Scholar 

  17. Gray RE, Goel V, Fitch MI, Franssen E, Chart P, Greenberg M et al (2000) Utilization of professional supportive care services by women with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 64:253–258

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Greer S, Moorey S, Baruch J (1991) Evaluation of adjuvant psychological therapy for clinically referred cancer patients. Brit J Cancer 63:257–260

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Guidry JJ, Aday LA, Zhang D, Winn RJ (1997) The role of informal and formal social support networks for patients with cancer. Cancer Prac 5:241–246

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Holland JC (1999). National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) practice guidelines for the management of psychosocial distress. Oncol 13 (5A):113–147

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Holland JC (2001) Improving the human side of cancer care: Psycho-oncology’s contribution. J Clin Oncol 21 [Suppl 23]:2535–2655

  22. Iacovino V, Reesor K (1997) Literature on interventions to address cancer patients’ needs: What does it tell us? J Psychosoc Oncol 15:47–71

    Google Scholar 

  23. Joos SK, Hickam DH, Borders LM (1993) Patients’ desires and satisfaction in general medicine clinics. Pub Health Rep 108:751–759

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kornblith AB, Herndon JE II, Zuckerman E, Viscoli CM, Horwitz RI, Cooper MR, Harris L, Tkaczuk KH, Perry MC, Budman D, Norton L, Holland JC (2001) Social support as a buffer to the psychological impact of stressful life events in women with breast cancer. Cancer 91:443–454

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Krupnick J, Rowland J, Goldberg R, and Daniel U (1993) Professionally-led Support Groups for Cancer Patients: An Intervention in Search of a Model. Internat J Psychiat Med 23:275–294

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Laine C, Davidoff, F (1996) Patient-centered medicine: A professional evolution. J Am Med Assoc 275:152–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Litwin MS, Hays RD, Fink A, Ganz PA, Leake B, Brook RH (1998) The UCLA Prostate Cancer Index: Development, reliability, and validity of a health-related quality of life measure. Med Care 37:1002–1012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Loescher LJ, Clark L, Atwood JR, Leigh S, Lamb G (1990) The impact of the cancer experience on long-term survivors. Oncol Nurs Forum 17:223–229

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Low JA, Liu R, Strutt R, Chye R (2001) Specialist community palliative care services: A survey of general practitioners’ experience in Eastern Sydney. Sup Care Cancer 9:474–476

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Matthews BA, Baker F, Hann DM, Denniston M, Smith TG (2002) Health status and life satisfaction among breast cancer survivor peer-support volunteers.” Psycho-Oncol 11:199–211

  31. Matthews BA, Baker F, Spillers RL (2002) Healthcare professionals’ awareness of cancer support services. Cancer Prac 10:36–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Michael YL, Kawachi I, Berkman LF, Holmes MD, Colditz GA (2000) The persistent impact of breast carcinoma on functional health status. Cancer 89:2176–2186

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Murphy, GP, Lawrence W Jr, Lenhard E Jr (1995) American Cancer Society textbook of clinical oncology (2nd ed.). Atlanta, GA: Am Cancer Soc

  34. Patel VL, Cytryn KN, Shortliffe EH, Safran C (2000). The collaborative health care team: The role of individual and group expertise. Teach Learn Med 12:117–132

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Peck B, Mitchell MS, Asch DA, Goold SD, Roter DL, Ubel PA, McIntyre LM, et al (2001) Measuring patient expectations: Does the instrument affect satisfaction or expectations?” Med Care 39:100–108

  36. Sanson-Fisher R, Girgis A, Boyes A, Bonevski B, Burton L, Cook P (2000) The unmet supportive care needs of patients with cancer. Cancer 88:226–37

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Schulz R, Williamson GM, Knapp JE, Bookwala J, Lave J, Fello M (1995) The psychological, social, and economic impact of illness among patients with recurrent cancer. J Psychosoc Oncol 13:21–45

    Google Scholar 

  38. Simon C, Little P, Birtwistle J, Kendrick T (2003) A questionnaire to measure satisfaction with community services for informal carers of stroke patients: Construction and initial piloting. Health Soc Care Commun 11:129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Stalker MZ, Johnson PS, Cimma C (1989) Supportive activities requested by survivors of cancer. J Psychosoc Oncol 7:21–31

    Google Scholar 

  40. Uhlmann RF, Inui TS, Pecoraro RE, Carter WB (1988) Relationship of patient requested fulfillment to compliance, glycemic control, and other health care outcomes in insulin-dependent diabetes. J Gen Int Med 3:458–463

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Yancik R, Yates JW (1986) Quality of life assessment of cancer patients: Conceptual and methodological challenges and constraints. Cancer Bullet 38:217–222

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Policy Institute, Suite H2755, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, PO Box 26509, Milwaukee, WI, 53226–0509, USA

    B. Alex Matthews

  2. American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Frank Baker & Rachel L. Spillers

Authors
  1. B. Alex Matthews
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Frank Baker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rachel L. Spillers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. Alex Matthews.

Additional information

A portion of this manuscript was presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Session of the Society for Behavioral Medicine, Washington, DC, April 2002.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matthews, B.A., Baker, F. & Spillers, R.L. Oncology professionals and patient requests for cancer support services. Support Care Cancer 12, 731–738 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-004-0647-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-004-0647-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation