Rural cancer survivors' health information needs post-treatment.
Nynikka R Palmer, Nancy E Avis, Nora F Fino and 2 others
PMID 32147307WHAT IT FOUND
Rural breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors two to five years post-diagnosis reported 4.0 information needs each, most often about side effects, health promotion, and tests, including fatigue.
Ask which topics matter before giving standard materials.
Key findings
01Survivors reported an average of 4.0 information needs across 2.1 domains; the most common domain was side effects and symptoms (58%), and health promotion was also common (54%).
02In unadjusted analyses, racial/ethnic minority status, less education, and inadequate income were associated with more reported needs, while each five-year increase in age was associated with a 10% reduction.
03Survivors without a bachelor's degree reported more needs than those with a degree (4.4 vs 3.0) and were more likely to need information about fatigue, nutrition, recurrence fears, and insurance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only survivors treated at a single academic cancer center in rural North Carolina/Appalachia were surveyed, so findings may not apply to survivors using other services. The response rate was 50%, and racial/ethnic minorities were less likely to respond, so unmet needs may be underestimated. The sample was too small to fully explore differences by race/ethnicity, cancer type, and gender. Health literacy was not measured, although lower education was common. The survey reports information needs at a single time point and does not show that meeting those needs improves outcomes.
Declared interests
The research was supported by NIH extramural funding; the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that giving survivors tailored education will improve outcomes. This paper only surveyed information needs at a single cancer center, had a 50% response rate, and did not test an educational intervention.