Sociodemographic and clinical factors related to high rates of unmet supportive care needs among Polish cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION

Cancer patients experience a wide range of unmet supportive care needs, which may lead to dissatisfaction with the health care system and poor quality of life. The aims of this study were to assess unmet supportive care needs in five areas: informative needs, psycho-emotional needs, relational needs, material needs and needs related to assistance/care, and to identify groups of cancer patients expressing high rates of unmet needs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The multicenter study was carried out among 1,062 cancer patients between June 2022 and May 2023. The study was performed using the validated Polish version of Needs Evaluation Questionnaire (NEQ). The total and subtotal NEQ scores were calculated.

RESULTS

The mean total NEQ score was 0.44 ± 0.27. The highest subtotal NEQ scores were noted in the cases of informative needs and material needs. Predictive factors for a higher total NEQ score were younger age, living with a partner and a diagnosis of digestive system cancers or lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

Cancer patients expressed some unmet supportive care needs, especially informative needs. Identification of the groups of patients with high rates of unmet supportive care needs will be useful in clinical practice. Younger patients, living with a partner and those suffering from digestive system or lung cancer seem to require special attention.