Rural Cancer Survivors' Health Information Needs Post-treatment

Overview

Journal Patient Educ Couns

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Health Services
Nursing

Date 2020 Mar 10

PMID 32147307

Citations 16

Authors

Nynikka R Palmer

Nancy E Avis

Nora F Fino

Janet A Tooze

Kathryn E Weaver

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: This study describes the most common cancer-related health information needs among rural cancer survivors and characteristics associated with reporting more information needs.

Methods: Rural breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors, two to five years post-diagnosis, identified from an institutional cancer registry, completed a mailed/telephone-administered survey. Respondents were asked about 23 health information needs in eight domains (tests and treatment, side effects and symptoms, health promotion, fertility, interpersonal, occupational, emotional, and insurance). Poisson regression models were used to assess relationships between number of health information needs and demographic and cancer characteristics.

Results: Participants (n = 170) reported an average of four health information needs, with the most common domains being: side effects and symptoms (58 %), health promotion (54 %), and tests and treatment (41 %). Participants who were younger (compared to 5-year increase, rate ratio [RR] = 1.11, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.21), ethnic minority (RR = 1.89, 95 % CI = 1.17-3.06), less educated (RR = 1.49, 95 % CI = 1.00-2.23), and financially stressed (RR = 1.87, 95 % CI = 1.25-2.81) had a greater number of information needs.

Conclusions: Younger, ethnic minority, less educated, and financially strained rural survivors have the greatest need for informational support.

Practice Implications: The provision of health information for rural cancer survivors should consider type of cancer, treatments received, and sociocultural differences to tailor information provided.

Citing Articles

Unmet needs among long-term breast cancer survivors.

Yarosh R, Nichols H, Hirschey R, Kent E, Mayer D, Troester M Cancer Causes Control. 2025; .

PMID: 40055257 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-025-01984-7.

Cancer prognosis information-seeking among survivors and caregivers: findings from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service.

Wilson A, Huang G, Kueppers G, Dwyer L, Han P, Vanderpool R Support Care Cancer. 2024; 33(1):30.

PMID: 39676139 PMC: 11646954. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-09089-8.

Results of the Italian cross-sectional web-based survey "Nutrition and breast cancer, what would you like to know?" An attempt to collect and respond to patients' information needs, through social media.

Caprara G, Pagan E, Titta L, Tieri M, Magionesi G, Gallosti S Front Oncol. 2024; 14:1436610.

PMID: 39386191 PMC: 11461502. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1436610.

Models of survivorship care in patients with head and neck cancer in regional, rural, and remote areas: a systematic review.

Pradhan P, Sharman A, Palme C, Elliott M, Clark J, Venchiarutti R J Cancer Surviv. 2024; .

PMID: 39031309 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-024-01643-x.

Unmet Needs and Care Delivery Gaps Among Rural Cancer Survivors.

Stout N, Boatman D, Rice M, Branham E, Miller M, Salyer R J Patient Exp. 2024; 11:23743735241239865.

PMID: 38505492 PMC: 10949551. DOI: 10.1177/23743735241239865.

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