Care needs and cancer-related post traumatic stress (CR-PTS) in patients with early-stage lung cancer three months after surgery

Abstract

Purpose

Lung cancer is one of the life-threatening diseases. The purposes of this study were to explore (1) the levels of unmet care needs, cancer-related post-traumatic stress (CR-PTS), and symptoms, and (2) factors related to unmet care needs in newly diagnosed early-stage lung cancer (LC) patients three months after surgery.

Methods

A cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling was conducted in the thoracic outpatient clinic of a medical centre in Taiwan to recruit early-stage (I-IIIA) LC patients. Patients were assessed of their care needs (Supportive Care Needs Survey Screening Tool [SCNS-ST9]), CR-PTS (Impact of Events Scale Revised [IES-R], including intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal subscales), symptom severity, and background information.

Results

Of the 130 participants enrolled in this study, 62.3% of subjects reported to have overall unmet care needs and 28.5% were at risk of CR-PTS. The levels of unmet care needs are generally in moderate level, with health system and information needs being the highest. Mild to moderate CR-PTS levels were noted, with avoidance, intrusion, and hyperarousal in descending order. Logistic regression identified lower education, higher symptom severity, and higher CR-PTS as the most robust factors related to unmet care needs.

Conclusion

The findings of this study highlight the importance of assessing care needs and psychological distress status of patients with early-stage LC. Developing appropriate interventions for this vulnerable patient population and examining their effects on improving care needs and psychological health are urgently needed.