Quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors at 1 year after treatment: the mediating role of unmet supportive care needs.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to test a hypothesised model that supportive care needs (SCNs) have a mediating effect on the relationship between characteristics of (Chinese) head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors and their quality of life (QoL). METHODS: A total of 285 Chinese HNC survivors who had finished cancer treatment 1 year earlier completed a self-reported survey covering demographic and clinical characteristics, the Chinese version of the Short-Form Supportive Care Needs Questionnaire (SCNS-SF34-C), the supplementary module of access to healthcare and ancillary support services and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer (FACT-H&N). RESULTS: The final path model showed that optimism, educational level, any coexisting disease, number of somatic symptoms, household income, eating ability, support from others, whether the cancer is under control or not and travelling time from home to hospital have direct or indirect effects, or both, on the QoL of HNC survivors, by way of unmet SCNs in the psychological, physical and/or health system information domains, which account for 64 % of the variance in the total FACT-H&N score. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the mediating effects of SCNs in the association between HNC survivors and their QoL. Early needs assessment may help healthcare professionals to identify the actual needs of these survivors, and providing the information that HNC survivors want is a significant factor in meeting their psychological needs and thereby improving their overall QoL.

A Theory-Based and Culturally Aligned Training Program on Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention for South Asian Community Health Workers: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer screening uptake among South Asian ethnic minorities is reported to be relatively low. An outreach program, led by community health workers (CHWs), may increase the minority group's awareness of the importance of cancer screening. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a theory-based, culturally sensitive program to train South Asian women in Hong Kong as CHWs. METHODS: A CHW training program, guided by the Empowerment Model and the Health Belief Model, was developed and implemented. Its feasibility was evaluated through the recruitment of South Asian women to the program and their satisfaction with it. Its effectiveness was assessed by a test of knowledge, the participants' self-efficacy and competence, and their readiness to work as CHWs. RESULTS: Five South Asian women were recruited to the training program. Outcomes included increased participants' knowledge of cancer and improved self-efficacy and competence in working as CHWs. All participants were highly satisfied with the program, although the addition of practical sessions in the South Asian community was suggested as a further improvement. CONCLUSION: It seems to be feasible to train South Asian CHWs to deliver interventions to promote their peers' awareness of breast and cervical cancer prevention, although challenges exist in recruitment of trainees. More hands-on practical opportunities as CHWs would likely increase their effectiveness. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The theoretical framework of our CHW training program and the incorporated cultural components could be useful for the development of future programs for training South Asian CHWs in delivering interventions on cancer prevention.

Effects of Promotional Materials on Attitudes and Fear towards Colorectal Cancer Screening among Chinese Older Adults: An Experimental Study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is a cost-effective prevention and control strategy. However, the promotion of CRC screening for older adults may be difficult because reading CRC prevention information may evoke embarrassment, fear, and anxiety towards the screening procedure and cancer diagnosis. This study aims to (1) examine the effects of three promotional materials for CRC screening on the attitudes toward CRC screening tests (screening interest, screening effectiveness, and trust in the screening results) and cancer fear, and (2) to explore the interaction effect of cancer fear with screening effectiveness and trust in the screening results on screening interest of the three screening tests (fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy) among Chinese older adults. A total of 114 community-dwelling older adults were asked to look at the corresponding promotional materials (pamphlet, cartoon, and video) of one of the three study groups. The pamphlet and video represent convention strategies and the cartoon represents an innovative strategy. No significant difference was observed in the screening interest and cancer fear across groups. FOBT was the most preferred screening modality. The video group has a large proportion agreed screening effectiveness of flexible sigmoidoscopy than pamphlet and cartoon groups and trusted in the screening results for FOBT and flexible sigmoidoscopy than the pamphlet group. Logistic regression results showed that the effect of trust in the screening results on screening interest for colonoscopy was greater among participants with higher cancer fear than those with lower cancer fear level. In conclusion, the three promotional groups had produced similar results in their attitudes toward CRC screening and cancer fear. The use of cartoons may be a comparable approach with conventional methods in the promotion of CRC screening. Additional components that can arouse fear and boost response efficacy simultaneously might also be useful for the effective promotion of colonoscopy among Chinese older adults.