Meeting the needs of cancer patients: identifying patients', relatives' and professionals' representations.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The literature on cancer patients agrees that most of the cancer patients' needs often remain unmet. How are these different needs perceived by patients, relatives and professionals? The present research has tried to make a contribution by analysing evidences of the needs, especially unmet, that different actors attribute to a cancer patient. METHOD: A total of 42 Italian participants (76.2% women) took part in the study. Patients, relatives, physicians, nurses, social care assistants and volunteers participated separately in six focus groups. Three face-to-face interviews were conducted with psychologist, general practitioner and social worker. All focus groups/interviews were processed through an analysis of thematic content. RESULTS: The results showed a priority given to the need for information, and also the importance of psychological and social support needs, confirming that they remain unmet. Differences between participants are visible by looking at the needs cited more frequently. For example, the oncologists are more sensitive to information needs related to the illness and its treatment, while the social worker cited the need for social, economic and legal assistance more frequently. The nurses highlighted the need for continuity of care, and the psychologists underlined the importance of psychological support, while the relatives cited the need of support both from and for families. CONCLUSIONS: RESULTS suggested that a comprehensive approach that addresses medical and psychosocial factors is needed. Cancer patients must be provided with a multidisciplinary survivorship care plan that addresses information related to their long-term care and identifies available psychological and social services.

[The degree of coincidence between the needs of cancer patients and the answers in the statutes of associations and dedicated health services]. / I bisogni del paziente con patologia oncologica e le risposte negli statuti di servizi sanitari dedicati e associazioni.

AIMS: The research took place in the northern area of Emilia Romagna, and aimed at investigating the needs expressed by cancer patients and those included in the goals of health services and associations dedicated to cancer disease. METHOD: The study involved 22 cancer patients (12 females and 10 males, mean age 55.36 +/- 10.7) through a semi-structured interview. Twenty-five Organizational Regulations and 17 Health Card Services of institutions dedicated to cancer disease were also analyzed. RESULTS: The basic needs of cancer patients are rarely economic, legal, material and more often medical and psychological (e.g. psychological support, medical care and equal treatment, continuity of care in hospital and at home and information about diagnosis and treatment). The health services focus on the fulfillment of the needs of self-determination, dignity and respect for people, information on diagnosis and treatments, and of psychological support. The associations provide help through activities geared towards ensuring socialization opportunities (need for aggregation and company), support patients and their family and aim to be a connection in the continuity of care between hospital and home. CONCLUSIONS: While the aims of health services and associations are oriented to respond to many basic needs, some remain still unmet and others are not adequately considered (eg. need to return to daily lives). The offer, aimed to fulfill these need, could be enhanced through a network of synergistic partnerships between health services, citizenship and associations.