Validation of the Standardized Needs Evaluation Questionnaire in Polish Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Cancer influences various aspects of patients' functioning. Cancer patients face not only medical problems but also organizational, socio-psychological, and spiritual problems. Their needs often seem to be unrecognized because patients do not express their concerns and clinicians do not ask appropriate questions. Unmet needs impact patients' quality of life. The aim of this study was to select, adapt, validate, and introduce a simple instrument for estimating cancer patients' unmet needs in Poland. METHODS: The Needs Evaluation Questionnaire (NEQ) was chosen for validation in a Polish population. The Polish version of the NEQ was developed with a back-translation procedure, as approved by a psycho-oncologist and a public health specialist. The psychometric properties of the NEQ (content analysis, reliability, construct validity, comprehensibility, and acceptability) were measured. RESULTS: This study was performed on a group of 121 cancer patients. The median time of completion for the NEQ was 10 min. The form, length, and font size of the NEQ were accepted by the respondents. Overall, the meaning of the questions was well understood, with only a few cases of discreetly heterogeneous interpretation of the content. The questionnaire showed good reliability and internal factor structure validity. CONCLUSION: The NEQ is a simple, easy-to-administer instrument with good psychometric properties and seems to be useful in assessing the unexpressed needs of cancer patients.

Evaluation of the Needs for Palliative Care in Madeira Island: A Pre-pandemic Overview.

Introduction As general practitioners/family physicians, it is our duty to promote health and prevent disease by providing cure, care, or palliation. Palliative care (PC) plays a crucial role in integrated and patient-centered health services. In the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM), Portugal, the PC Unit (PCU) was established in 2012. According to data from 2010, 41.2% of individuals who passed away in this region had a requirement for PC. Our objective is to determine the potential needs for PC in our population in the year 2019, prior to the pandemic. Additionally, we aim to determine the main indications for PC and the number of emergency department admissions/hospitalizations and compare these needs with data from 2010. Methods We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive, analytical study, in which the target population consisted of all individuals who passed away in RAM in the year 2019. From this population, a representative sample of deceased individuals was obtained. The gender, age, disease with a potential indication for palliative care, admissions to emergency care and hospitalizations in the preceding 12 months, and county of residence were obtained from the RAM Health Services and analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA) software. Results From the total number of individuals who passed away in RAM in the year 2019 (N=2,840), a representative sample of 339 deceased individuals was obtained. Of the deceased individuals, 56% presented with potential indications for palliative care, compared to the 41.2% result recorded in 2010 (p<0.0001). Among these individuals, 51.9% were female, and the average age was 79.7±12.2 years. Neoplasms were the primary indication for palliative care, accounting for 22.7%. Individuals with potential indications for PC, when compared to those without indications, had a higher number of hospitalizations and emergency episodes in the preceding 12 months (p=0.0005 and p=0.008, respectively). Conclusion We conclude that over half of the patients who passed away in RAM had potential indications for palliative care. These individuals experienced a higher number of hospitalizations and emergency episodes in the preceding 12 months. In this study, we also observed a significant increase in the need for palliative care compared to the year 2010.

Assessment of Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Haematological Cancer Survivors

Background: Health needs assessment is crucial for the provision of individualized nursing care. However, many patients report a significant number of unmet needs. The aim of the present study was the assessment of self-reported unmet supportive care needs among haematological cancer survivors in Greece. Methods: 102 patients (mean age 66.2 years old) diagnosed with haematological cancer were included in a cross-sectional study, conducted in two major Greek public hospitals, between October and December 2016. Patients' needs were assessed using the 'Needs Evaluation Questionnaire' (NEQ). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software for Windows. Alfa-level (p-value) selected was 5%, bootstrap techniques were used for 95% CI estimation, χ2 was used for differentiation control and Kuder-Richardson coefficient for reliability score assessment (ρ = 0.922). Results: Patients reported higher needs levels "to receive less commiseration from other people" (48%), "more information about my future condition" (44.1%) and "to feel more useful within my family" (42.2%). In contrast, patients reported lower levels to the needs "to speak with a spiritual advisor" (11.8%), "to have more help with eating, dressing and going to the bathroom" (13.7%) and "better attention from nurses" (18.6%). The mean score of satisfied patients (≥8/10) was 8.9 (SD 1.7). Associations between socio-demographic, hospitalization data and unmet needs groups were identified. The less satisfied patients (<8/10) reported more informational needs about their diagnosis and their future condition (p-value=0.002), about their exams and treatments (p-value=0.001), communicative (p-value <0.001), assistance and treatment (p-value<0.001) and hospital infrastructure (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Various factors seem to be associated to the prevalent unmet care needs among haematological cancer patients. Establishing NEQ as a routine needs assessment tool could aid health professionals to early identify patients' needs in a busy clinical setting and implement more individualized and patient-centered quality care.

Perfil biosociodemográfico y valoración de necesidades en pacientes en diálisis peritoneal / Biosociodemographic and needs assessment profile in patients on peritoneal dialysis

Objetivo: El siguiente estudio pretende conocer las características biosociodemográficas y la satisfacción de necesidades de los pacientes en tratamiento con diálisis peritoneal del Hospital Las Higueras de Talcahuano, Chile. Material y método: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, de corte transversal; la población de estudio estuvo constituida por 40 pacientes, se realizó una entrevista utilizando un instrumento que incluyó la evaluación de satisfacción de necesidades básicas, según Virginia Henderson, y factores biosociodemográfics. Resultados: El grupo de estudio estuvo compuesto en igual parte por hombres y mujeres, el promedio de edad correspondió a 48 años, más de la mitad vive sin pareja y es jefe de hogar, la mayoría tiene hijos, predominando los grupos familiares integrados por 4 o más personas (57,5 por ciento). El mayor porcentaje de ellos ha cursado enseñanza media, el 22,5 por ciento se encuentra trabajando y recibe remuneración. Casi la totalidad cuenta con saneamiento básico en sus domicilios y vive en sector urbano. Las principales necesidades insatisfechas corresponden a "eliminar bien" y "evitar peligros", las restantes se encuentran satisfechas entre el 57,5 por ciento y 92,5 por ciento dentro de este rango las necesidades más afectadas fueron mantener la temperatura corporal y recrearse. Conclusión: Los resultados sugieren implementar y reforzar planes educativos más rigurosos a los ya existentes en nuestro centro asistencial, tendientes a evitar daños físicos y sicológicos, así como también mantener una buena eliminación corporal, a través de la retroalimentación en cada control o visita domiciliaria realizada al usuario a nuestro cuidado...

Objective: To know the biosociodemographic profile of patients on peritoneal dialysis Hospital Las Higueras in Talcahuano, Chile and the satisfaction of basic needs they have. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional desing. The sample consisted of 40 patients, an interview was conducted, using an instrument that included evaluation of basic needs, according to Virginia Henderson and biosociodemographic factors. Results: The study group was composed in equal parts by men and women, average age corresponded to 48, more than half live without a partner and head of household, the majority have children, predominantly family groups consisting of 4 or more people (57.5 percent. The highest percentage of them have completed high school, 22.5 percent are working and receives remuneration. Almost all have basic sanitation in their homes and live in urban areas. Major unsatisfied needs are "good elimination" and "avoid danger", the rest are satisfied between 57.5 percent and 92.5 percent, within this range needs were maintaining body temperature and recreation. Conclusion: Results suggest, implementing and enforcing more stringent educational plans than the existing ones in our medical center designed to prevent physical and psychological damage as well as maintain good body elimination, through feedback in each control or home visit to the user under our care...