Prevalence and risk factors associated with the comprehensive needs of cancer patients in China.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and mortality rates of cancer have been increasing in developing countries, particularly in Asia. Therefore to provide optimal comprehensive care to the cancer patients, the care plan must focus on the comprehensive needs of cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comprehensive needs of cancer patients, and explore the associated factors. METHODS: In a cross-sectional questionnaire study, a total of 200 cancer patient-caregiver dyads were selected and interviewed in Mainland China by convenient sampling method. Patients' comprehensive needs were assessed with Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool in cancer for Patients (CNAT), including seven domains (Information, Psychological Problems, Health Care Staffs, Physical Symptoms, Hospital Facilities and Services, Social/Religious/Spiritual Support and Practical Support). Both cancer patients and caregivers completed the sociodemographic survey. The mean differences in domain scores for different characteristics groups were compared by one-way ANOVA or non-parametric analyses, and influencing factors defined with multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The cancer patients' need for Health Care Staffs (78.35 ± 13.08) was the highest among the seven domains, followed by the need for Information (71.18 ± 17.39) and the need for Hospital Facilities and Services (52.65 ± 13.35). The lowest score was the need for Physical Symptoms (35.12 ± 16.68). Patients who were female, with low family monthly income, at their own expense, and with highly educated caregivers had higher score of CNAT. Also sociodemographic characteristics were associated with each domain need of cancer patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that cancer patients experience high levels of needs for health-care staff and information, and the different needs are closely related to their sociological characteristics. The provision of health care can be adapted to meet the different needs of cancer patients of different epidemiological characteristics at different times during the course of treatment.

Overweight influence on circadian variations of ambulatory blood pressure in Chinese adolescents.

Childhood obesity and its consequences have been the subject of intense interest in recent years. In this study we examined the influence of overweight on circadian variations of ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in Chinese adolescents. First, 24-hr ABP monitoring was performed in 252 adolescents divided into two groups with equivalent sex, age, and body height (49 girls and 77 boys in each group): controls (normal weight) were aged 13.68 +/- 1.21 years, height 165.37 +/- 9.45 cm, body mass index (BMI) 18.82 +/- 2.3; overweights (BMI > or = 24) were aged 13.71 +/- 1.23 years, height 165.75 +/- 9.47 cm, BMI 27.70 +/- 3.1. ABP recordings were treated by ABP database system and analyzed by cosinor method and conventional statistics methods. The circadian variations of ABP in adolescent patterned as "dipper" and circadian rhythmicity of ABP variations were confirmed by cosinor analysis in most adolescents of both groups. Significant statistical differences were found for rhythm parameters: the MESOR (midline estimate statistic of rhythm), peak, trough (the maximum and minimum values derived from the composed curves, respectively), and amplitude values between control and overweight groups. Significant higher values also were seen in the overweight group for most of ABP parameters (p < .01), such as, BP means (SBP, DBP, MAP: mean arterial pressure, or PP: pulse pressure), BP variability, BP loads and rate-pressure product (HR x SBP). Our results have shown that overweight influenced significantly on ABP and parameters derived from ABP recordings in Chinese adolescents, which suggests an increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases in overweight adolescents.