Heterogeneity and associated factors of information needs among patients with hematological malignancies in China: a latent profile analysis

Hematological malignancies involve complex healthcare situations. Sharing knowledge and providing tailored information based on patients’ needs are crucial for patient-centered health care. This study explored information needs among Chinese patients with hematological malignancies and identified factors across distinct subgroups.

We evaluated 345 patients with hematologic malignancies at any stage from December 2021 to March 2022. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of hematological malignancy patients with different levels of information needs. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors that were associated with information needs.

Three subgroups of patients with different information needs were identified: low information needs (8.9%), moderate information needs (52.2%), and high information needs (38.8%). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with longer diagnosis time (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.15–0.65), higher quality of life (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73–0.86), and adequate social support (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.25–0.66) were more likely to be in the low information needs subtypes, whereas patients with worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score (OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.00–6.14) were more likely to be in the high information needs subgroup.

Patients with hematological malignancies with longer diagnosis time, better quality of life, and adequate social support may be more likely to have low information needs. High information needs may be associated with worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score. Tailored support should be provided to patients based on their information needs. This might help nurses provide relevant support, enhance care quality, and improve patients’ quality of life.