The escalating global population of cancer survivors (CSs) underscores the imperative to
offer services tailored to address their specific unmet needs. Individuals are designated
as 'cancer survivors' from the moment of diagnosis onward throughout their lifetime.
Despite this, there is a worldwide acknowledgment that CSs encounter a spectrum of
physical, psychosocial, spiritual, informational, and practical challenges, often leading
to unmet needs that frequently go unrecognized and unaddressed.
Unmet needs, in this context, refer to those requirements perceived by individuals as
lacking the necessary level of service for achieving optimal well-being. These can be
characterized as unsatisfied needs for which CSs desire additional assistance or support.
A profound comprehension and measurement of CSs' unmet needs play a pivotal role in
identifying gaps in their care experiences, providing an opportunity to deliver
patient-centered services.
Effective care delivery not only enhances patient outcomes and quality of life but also
contributes to increased satisfaction with care. This, in turn, may lead to a reduced
demand for health and social care services. The qualitative study outlined here seeks to
delve into the unmet needs of individuals who have undergone a cancer diagnosis within
the past years and have completed the acute phase of treatment.
The study aims to leverage the experiences of patients, caregivers, and stakeholders to
optimize cancer survivorship care. Specifically, the investigation will focus on the
unmet needs of cancer survivors post the acute treatment phase for some of the most
prevalent forms of cancer with a life expectancy of at least five years.
Namely:
To investigate the unmet needs perceived by cancer survivors in AUSL IRCCS Reggio
Emilia setting.
To determine the area of impact on health encompassed by those unmet needs to create
a direct link to the ICF.
To determine which Patient Reported Outcome Measure aimed at identifying cancer
survivors' unmet needs will best investigate those ICF components connected to
common cancer survivors' unmet needs to implement it in their routine assessment.
To identify the services that need to be implemented to provide support to the true
needs of local cancer survivors.
To develop a Survivorship care plan model coherent with patients' expectations and
health care system economic resources.
Utilizing focus groups and interviews, the research will recruit participants from the
AUSL - IRCCS Reggio Emilia district who have completed treatment for breast, prostate,
colorectal, thyroid, and multiple myeloma cancers. The study will adhere to a structured
schedule for conducting focus groups and interviews, accommodating participants in
individual interviews if logistical or personal challenges arise.
Each focus group, homogeneous in terms of pathology, will include 4 to 8 participants,
with a total ranging between 30 and 60 participants based on Krueger's recommendations.
Audio recording and verbatim transcription of focus groups and interviews will facilitate
subsequent framework and thematic analysis to extract meaningful insights.
The study's objectives encompass investigating perceived unmet needs, determining the
health impact linked to these needs within the International Classification of
Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), identifying suitable Patient Reported Outcome
Measures, pinpointing services for implementation, and developing a Survivorship care
plan model aligning with patient expectations and healthcare system resources.
The focus groups and interviews, including patients with or without linked caregivers,
will be systematically transcribed and analyzed using framework and thematic analysis
methodologies.