Breast cancer survivors' perceived medical communication competence and satisfaction with care at the end of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Information is a care priority in most breast cancer survivors (BCS). We assessed whether BCS information needs at 8 months after hospital cancer treatment could be related to their age, education level, perceived medical communication competence, satisfaction with care, attachment style, and self-esteem. METHODS: Of 426 BCS approached during the last week of treatment (T1), 85% completed the Medical Communication Competence Scale, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Satisfaction with Care Questionnaire, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and Experiences in Close Relationships Scale. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Supportive Care Needs Survey were completed at T1 and again 8 months later (T2) with a 66% (n = 283) response rate. RESULTS: Baseline respondents' median (range) age was 56 years (23-86 years). Information needs decreased over time, although some persisted. Multivariate regression analyses evidenced overall higher information needs at T2 in younger BCS and in those dissatisfied with the information provided at T1. Specifically, in younger BCS, higher information needs were related to lower satisfaction with doctors' availability, and in older BCS, they were related to higher self-perceived competence in information giving, lower self-perceived competence in information seeking, and lower satisfaction with doctors' information provision. Psychological distress was strongly related to information needs. Education, BCS attachment style, and self-esteem were not associated with information needs. CONCLUSIONS: In order to enhance supportive care for BCS, younger BCS should be provided with more time to address all their concerns and older BCS should be encouraged to express their specific desires for information.

Prevalence, intensity, and predictors of the supportive care needs of women diagnosed with breast cancer: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The assessment of supportive care needs is a crucial step in the development of appropriate interventions that may improve the quality of life of cancer patients. This review describes and analyzes the prevalence and predictors of the unmet supportive care needs of breast cancer (BC) patients and survivors and suggests paths for further research. METHOD: Multiple databases were searched, considering only quantitative studies using validated needs assessment instruments and focusing uniquely on women diagnosed with BC. RESULTS: Out of 761 hits, 23 studies answered to all eligibility criteria. Nineteen were cross-sectional, and the remaining four were longitudinal. Most included patients at different moments along the BC trajectory, from diagnosis to decades into survivorship, with the major proportion of patients under treatment. Only five concentrated on the posttreatment phase into extended survivorship. The concerns of women diagnosed with BC clustered around psychological and information needs, with the top concern being 'fear of the cancer returning'. Predictors of higher levels of needs included advanced disease stage, greater symptom burden, shorter time since diagnosis, higher levels of distress, and younger age. Prevalence differed between cultures with Asian women reporting greater information needs and lower psychological needs compared with Western women. CONCLUSIONS: Revealing which needs BC patients consider most urgent and the factors related to greater needs will permit the development of improved and targeted supportive care. Future research should comprise longitudinal designs concentrating on women at specific moments along the BC trajectory for a dynamic understanding of these needs.