Rainbird K, Perkins J, Sanson-Fisher R, Rolfe I, Anseline P
Health Research Consultant, Dunsborough 6281, WA, Australia.
Br J Cancer. 2009 Sep 1;101(5):759-64. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605235. Epub 2009 Aug 4.
Limited research has investigated the specific needs of patients with advanced incurable cancer. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of perceived needs among this population.
Medical specialists from two regions in New South Wales, Australia, identified patients with advanced, incurable cancer, who were estimated to have a life expectancy of <2 years and were not receiving formal palliative care. Of the 418 eligible patients, 246 (59%) consented to participate. Consenting patients completed the Needs Assessment for Advanced Cancer Patients questionnaire, which has demonstrable validity and reliability. Patients' perceived needs were assessed across the seven domains of the questionnaire: psychological, daily living, medical communication and information, symptom related, social, spiritual and financial needs.
Patients identified the greatest areas of need in relation to psychological and medical communication/information domains. Patients' specific needs were highest in dealing with a lack of energy and tiredness, coping with fears about the cancer spreading, and coping with frustration at not being able to do the things they used to do.
This study indicates that patients with advanced, incurable cancer have high levels of unmet needs, especially in relation to the areas of psychological and medical communication/information needs. The data have the potential to guide the development of interventions aimed at meeting the current unmet needs of patients with advanced, incurable cancer.
针对晚期无法治愈癌症患者的特定需求，相关研究有限。本研究旨在描述该人群中感知到的需求的普遍性。
来自澳大利亚新南威尔士州两个地区的医学专家识别出晚期无法治愈癌症患者，这些患者预计预期寿命小于2年且未接受正规姑息治疗。在418名符合条件的患者中，246名（59%）同意参与。同意参与的患者完成了《晚期癌症患者需求评估问卷》，该问卷具有可证明的效度和信度。通过问卷的七个领域评估患者的感知需求：心理、日常生活、医疗沟通与信息、症状相关、社会、精神和经济需求。
患者在心理和医疗沟通/信息领域识别出最大的需求领域。患者在应对精力不足和疲劳、应对对癌症扩散的恐惧以及应对无法做过去常做之事的挫败感方面的特定需求最高。
本研究表明，晚期无法治愈癌症患者存在大量未满足的需求，尤其是在心理和医疗沟通/信息需求领域。这些数据有可能指导旨在满足晚期无法治愈癌症患者当前未满足需求的干预措施的制定。
