Cancer patients' needs for rehabilitation services.

PURPOSE: To examine cancer patients' needs for rehabilitation services and factors associated with such needs, and secondly identify unmet needs for rehabilitation services and related factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2008 persons aged 25-60 years, diagnosed in 2005/2006 with the ten most prevalent cancers in Norway were identified through the Cancer Registry of Norway. These patients were contacted by their treating hospital receiving a mailed questionnaire. Main outcomes for the present study were measured by two questions assessing a) needs for rehabilitation services and b) rehabilitation services offered/used. For each question seven services were listed; physical therapy, physical training, psychological counseling, consultations with social worker, occupational therapy, supportive group sessions and admittance to a convalescent home. The respondents then rated to what extent they had experienced needs and if they had been offered and used each service. Those who reported need for a service that not had been offered were defined as having unmet need. Associations between demographic, health-related and outcome variables were analyzed by multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Among the 1 325 respondents, the mean age was 52 years and 70% were women. Sixty-three percent reported need for at least one rehabilitation service. Need for physical therapy was most frequently reported (43%), followed by physical training (34%), psychological counseling (27%), supportive group sessions (24%), admittance to a convalescent home (24%), consultation with social worker (19%) and occupational therapy (6%). Changes in employment status and ongoing or previous chemotherapy were associated with reporting needs for all rehabilitation services. Forty percent reported unmet needs, which most frequently was reported among persons living alone, who had changed their employment status, receiving or had received chemotherapy or reported comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The majority reported need for at least one rehabilitation service, and 40% reported unmet needs. Prospective studies are recommended in order to better understand needs for rehabilitation services, such as needs in relation to time since treatment, extent of disease and treatment intensity.

A comparative study of cancer patients with short and long sick-leave after primary treatment.

BACKGROUND: Sick-leave after primary cancer treatment has hardly been studied. This study compares Norwegian cancer patients (CPs) with shorter (≤8 months) and longer (≥9 months) sick-leave after primary cancer treatment. Our aim was to characterize factors associated with these two types of sick-leave in order to identify possible factors for interventions by which long-term sick-leaves may be avoided. METHODS: A mailed questionnaire was completed by a sample of Norwegian CPs 15 to 39 months after primary treatment of the ten most common invasive types of cancer. The groups with shorter (n=359) and longer (n=481) sick-leaves (SSL vs LSL) were compared with each other by self-reported information as to socio-demographic and cancer-related variables, health, quality of life, work ability, work situation and supportive interventions. RESULTS: The LSL consisted of 78% females, and 76% of them had breast or gynaecological cancer. A higher proportion of patients with low level of education, economical problems, treated with chemotherapy, hormones and multimodal treatment belonged to LSL compared to SSL. Significantly more LSL had recurrences of cancer, co-morbidity, regular use of medication, and poorer self-rated health, quality of life and work ability. Compared to SSL, more LSL reported needs for and offers of supportive care such as physiotherapy, physical activities and psychosocial support. A multivariate regression analysis showed that reduced work ability, changes in employment due to cancer, lack of support from supervisors at work, and having had combined treatment were significantly associated with being LSL. CONCLUSIONS: Longer sick-leave after primary cancer treatment is associated with combined cancer treatment, lack of support from supervisors and reduced overall work ability. Interventions and counselling related to the work place and reduced work ability could be of value for prevention of long-term sick-leaves.