Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 4/2014

01-04-2014 | Review Article

Unmet psychosocial needs in haematological cancer: a systematic review

Authors: B. Swash, N. Hulbert-Williams, R. Bramwell

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 4/2014

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

Psychosocial need implies a desire or requirement for support that underlies a person’s psychological, social and emotional wellbeing. This is not a new concept in the wider cancer literature, yet remains a relatively unexplored area in relation to haematological malignancies. The well-recognised differences between haematological and other types of cancer diagnosis warrant further investigation to try and highlight the potential differences in the needs of this patient group.

Method

A systematic review of key online databases and psycho-oncology journals was conducted to identify papers that formally assessed unmet psychosocial needs in adults with a diagnosis of haematological cancer. The breadth of methodologies of included studies made a meta-analytical approach unfeasible, therefore studies were analysed using a narrative synthesis approach.

Results

Eighteen studies were found to be relevant and a specific focus was placed on those papers that looked solely at participants with a haematological diagnosis. The key areas of need identified were: psychological need, notably fear of recurrence; information needs; and needs relating to both family and healthcare professionals. Fear of recurrence was the most commonly identified psychosocial need within this literature.

Conclusions

The clinical implications of these findings highlight the need for more widespread access to psychological support for haematology patients and for more to be done to tackle patients’ fears and concerns throughout the course of their illness. Assessment and identification of unmet needs is an important step enabling the development of clinical services that support and maintain psychological wellbeing through treatment and into survivorship.
Literature
1.
Bensing J (2000) Bridging the gap. The separate worlds of evidence-based medicine and patient-centered medicine. Patient Educ Couns 39(1):17–25PubMedCrossRef
2.
Holland J, Watson M, Dunn J (2011) The IPOS New International Standard of Quality Cancer Care: integrating the psychosocial domain into routine care. Psycho-Oncology 20(7):677–680PubMedCrossRef
3.
4.
Carlson LE, Waller A, Mitchell AJ (2012) Screening for distress and unmet needs in patients with cancer: review and recommendations. J Clin Oncol 30(11):1160–1177PubMedCrossRef
5.
Sanson-Fisher R et al (2000) The unmet supportive care needs of patients with cancer. Cancer 88(1):225–236CrossRef
6.
McIllmurray MB et al (2001) The psychosocial needs of cancer patients: findings from an observational study. Eur J Cancer Care 10(4):261–269CrossRef
7.
Bonevski B et al (2000) Evaluation of an instrument to assess the needs of patients with cancer. Cancer 88(1):217–225PubMedCrossRef
8.
Wen KG (2004) Needs assessment for cancer patient and their families. Health Qual Life Outcome 2:11CrossRef
9.
Puts MTE et al (2011) A pilot study on frailty, health and functioning in older newly-diagnosed cancer patients, what have we learned? J Geriatr Oncol 2(4):246–252CrossRef
10.
Hodgkinson KBPHGEPSHKMLSKWG (2007) The development and evaluation of a measure to assess cancer survivors’ unmet supportive care needs: the CaSUN (Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs measure). Psycho-Oncology 16(9):796–804PubMedCrossRef
11.
Minstrell M et al (2008) Supportive care of rural women with breast cancer in Tasmania, Australia: changing needs over time. Psycho-Oncology 17(1):58–65PubMedCrossRef
12.
Hemingway H, Marmot M (1999) Evidence based cardiology—psychosocial factors in the aetiology and prognosis of coronary heart disease: systematic review of prospective cohort studies. British Med J318(7196):1460–1467CrossRef
13.
Harrison JD et al (2009) What are the unmet supportive care needs of people with cancer? A systematic review. Support Care Cancer 17(8):1117–1128PubMedCrossRef
14.
Howell DA et al (2011) Haematological malignancy: are patients appropriately referred for specialist palliative and hospice care? A systematic review and meta-analysis of published data. Palliat Med 25(6):630–641PubMedCrossRef
15.
Sherman RS, Cooke E, Grant M (2005) Dialogue among survivors of hematopoietic cell transplantation: support-group themes. J Psychosoc Oncol 23(1):1–24PubMedCrossRef
16.
Paul CL et al (2011) Cutting the research pie: a value-weighting approach to explore perceptions about psychosocial research priorities for adults with haematological cancers. Eur J Cancer Care 20(3):345–353CrossRef
17.
Ernst JC et al (2013) Use and need for psychosocial support in cancer patients. Cancer 119(12):2333–2341PubMedCrossRef
18.
Howie JGR et al (1999) Quality at general practice consultations: cross sectional survey. Br Med J 319(7212):738–743CrossRef
19.
Macmillan, Cancer clinical nurse specialists: an evidence review. 2011
20.
21.
Boyes A et al (2006) Does routine assessment and real-time feedback improve cancer patients’ psychosocial well-being? Eur J Cancer Care 15(2):163–171CrossRef
22.
Hawkins NA et al (2008) Informational needs of patients and perceived adequacy of information available before and after treatment of cancer. J Psychosoc Oncol 26(2):1–16PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
23.
Armes J et al (2009) Patients’ supportive care needs beyond the end of cancer treatment: a prospective, longitudinal survey. J Clin Oncol 27(36):6172–6179PubMedCrossRef
24.
Clavarino AM et al (2002) The needs of cancer patients and their families from rural and remote areas of Queensland. Aust J Rural Health 10(4):188–195PubMedCrossRef
25.
26.
Jenkins V, Fallowfield L, Saul J (2001) Information needs of patients with cancer: results from a large study in UK cancer centres. Br J Cancer 84(1):48–51PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
27.
Preyde M et al (2010) Exploratory survey of patients’ needs and perceptions of psychosocial oncology. J Psychosoc Oncol 28(3):320–333PubMedCrossRef
28.
Sollner W et al (2001) How successful are oncologists in identifying patient distress, perceived social support, and need for psychosocial counselling? Br J Cancer 84(2):179–185PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef
29.
Ashbury FD et al (1998) A Canadian survey of cancer patients’ experiences: are their needs being met? J Pain Symptom Manag 16(5):298–306CrossRef
30.
McDowell ME et al (2010) Predictors of change in unmet supportive care needs in cancer. Psycho-Oncology 19(5):508–516PubMedCrossRef
31.
McIllmurray MB et al (2003) Psychosocial needs in cancer patients related to religious belief. Palliat Med 17(1):49–54PubMedCrossRef
32.
Soothill K et al (2001) The significant unmet needs of cancer patients: probing psychosocial concerns. Support Care Cancer 9(8):597–605PubMedCrossRef
33.
Mesters N et al (2001) Measuring information needs among cancer patients. Patient Educ Couns 43(3):253–262PubMedCrossRef
34.
Soothill K et al (2003) The universal, situational, and personal needs of cancer patients and their main carers. Eur J Oncol Nurs: Off J Eur Oncol Nurs Soc 7(1):5–13, discussion 14–6CrossRef
35.
Soothill K et al (2004) Grouping cancer patients by psychosocial needs. J Psychosoc Oncol 22(2):89–109CrossRef
36.
Molassiotis A et al (2011) Unmet supportive care needs, psychological well-being and quality of life in patients living with multiple myeloma and their partners. Psycho-Oncology 20(1):88–97PubMedCrossRef
37.
Lobb EA et al (2009) When the safety net of treatment has been removed: patients’ unmet needs at the completion of treatment for haematological malignancies. Patient Educ Couns 77(1):103–108PubMedCrossRef
38.
Hammond CTC et al (2008) Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors’ fertility and sexual function-related information needs. Fertil Steril 90(4):1256–1258PubMedCrossRef
39.
Department of Health (2012) Quality of life of cancer survivors in England: report on a pilot survey using patient reported outcome measures (PROMS). National Institute for Health Research: UK
40.
Thewes B et al (2005) Fertility- and menopause-related information needs of younger women with a diagnosis of early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 23(22):5155–5165PubMedCrossRef
41.
Vivar CG, McQueen A (2005) Informational and emotional needs of long-term survivors of breast cancer. J Adv Nurs 51(5):520–528PubMedCrossRef
42.
van Mossel C et al (2012) Information needs across the colorectal cancer care continuum: scoping the literature. Eur J Cancer Care 21(3):296–320CrossRef
43.
Vitinius F et al (2012) Psychosocial strain and information needs of patients with prostate cancer—a systematic review. J Psychosom Res 72(6):507–508
44.
Rutten LJ, Arora NK, Bakos AD, Aziz N, Rowland J (2005) Information needs and sources of information among cancer patients: a systematic review of research (1980–2003). Patient Educ Couns 57:250–261PubMedCrossRef
45.
Kazimierczak KA, Skea ZC, Dixon-Woods M, Entwistle VA, Feldman-Stewart D, N’dow JM, MacLennan SJ (2012) Provision of cancer information as a “support for navigating the knowledge landscape”: findings from a critical interpretive literature synthesis. Eur J Oncol Nurs 17(3):1–10
46.
Morrison V et al (2012) Common, important, and unmet needs of cancer outpatients. Eur J Oncol Nurs 16(2):115–123PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Unmet psychosocial needs in haematological cancer: a systematic review
Authors
B. Swash
N. Hulbert-Williams
R. Bramwell
Publication date
01-04-2014
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 4/2014
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2123-5

Other articles of this Issue 4/2014

Supportive Care in Cancer 4/2014 Go to the issue

Original Article

Clinical efficacy of adjunctive G-CSF on solid tumor and lymphoma patients with established febrile neutropenia

Original Article

Effectiveness of palonosetron for preventing delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting following moderately emetogenic chemotherapy in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

Review Article

Reducing potentially inappropriate medications in palliative cancer patients: evidence to support deprescribing approaches

Original Article

Assessment of a brain-tumour-specific Patient Concerns Inventory in the neuro-oncology clinic

Original Article

Testing the ‘teachable moment’ premise: does physical activity increase in the early survivorship phase?

Original Article

Association between race and physical functioning limitations among breast cancer survivors
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits