Perceived unmet supportive care needs and determinants
of quality of life among survivors of head and neck cancer
WKW So1, KC Choi1, CWH Chan1,
SY Chair1, RWM Wan2, SSS Mak2, WM Ling3,
WT Ng3
1 The Nethersole School of Nursing,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2 Department of Clinical Oncology,
Prince of Wales Hospital
3 Department of Clinical Oncology,
Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
1. The most common unmet need among head and neck
cancer survivors was having a hospital staff member with whom they could
discuss their condition, treatment, and follow-up. Patients were eager to
know more about disease prognosis, symptom management, how to improve
their health, and how to access information and healthcare or social
services.
2. Optimism, education, co-existing diseases, number of symptoms experienced, household income, eating ability, social support, perceptions on whether the cancer was under control, and the time required to travel between home and hospital may directly and/or indirectly impact quality of life in terms of psychological, physical, and/or health system information domains. These factors accounted for 64% of the variance in the total Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Head and Neck score.
3. Providing the information that head and neck cancer survivors want is a significant factor in fulfilling their psychological needs and improving overall quality of life.
2. Optimism, education, co-existing diseases, number of symptoms experienced, household income, eating ability, social support, perceptions on whether the cancer was under control, and the time required to travel between home and hospital may directly and/or indirectly impact quality of life in terms of psychological, physical, and/or health system information domains. These factors accounted for 64% of the variance in the total Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Head and Neck score.
3. Providing the information that head and neck cancer survivors want is a significant factor in fulfilling their psychological needs and improving overall quality of life.