Relationship Between Patient Factors And Specific Learning Needs Of Women On Breast Cancer

ABSTRACT

The type of specific learning needs of women with breast cancer using the Information Needs Questionnaire (INQ) had been identified prior to developing a breast cancer education package. It is also important to determine the types of patient factors such as demographic and clinical factors that influence women’s specific learning needs on breast cancer. This study thus reports the findings on what type of patient factors influence women’s specific learning needs related to the types of INQ. A total of 140 women with breast cancer who sought treatment at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre participated in this cross sectional study. Age showed a significant relationship with specific learning needs on sexual attractiveness (p=0.001) and self-care (p=0.048). Duration of illness was related to information on spread of breast cancer (p=0.040) and self-care (p=0.047). Education level showed a significant relationship with cure (p=0.001), sexual attractiveness (p=0.007) and spread of breast cancer (p=0.003). Occupation showed a significant relationship with specific learning needs on sexual attractiveness (p=0.005), chemotherapy (p=0.043), radiotherapy (p=0.039) and hormonal therapy (p=0.043). On treatment received, a significant relationship was noted with sexual attractiveness (p=0.009), radiotherapy (p=0.029), hormonal therapy (p=0.038) and targeted therapy (p=0.047). Ethnicity and Marital status showed no significant relationship with all the specific learning needs. Findings of this study concluded that certain patient factors had significant relationship with certain specific learning needs. All the patient factors studied and their influence on the specific learning needs were taken into consideration prior to developing the breast cancer education package.