Partner’s survivorship care needs: An analysis in head and neck cancer patients

Publication date: August 2017
Source:Oral Oncology, Volume 71
Author(s): Meredith Giuliani, Robin Milne, Maurene McQuestion, Lorna Sampson, Lisa W. Le, Jennifer Jones, Terry Cheng, John Waldron, Jolie Ringash
PurposeTo determine the number, type and predictors of unmet needs for head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors' partner's.MethodsPartners of HNC patients were invited to complete the Cancer Survivors' Partners Unmet Needs Survey (CaSPUN). Analysis determined number, proportion and factors associated with greater unmet needs using linear regression. Agreement between the unmet needs of patients and their partners was determined.ResultsAmong the 44 partners participated 29 reported ≥1 unmet need and 4 had a very high number of needs (31–35). The most common unmet needs were related to concerns about cancer returning, coping with supporting someone with cancer, and the changes cancer has caused. The highest reported needs were in the Relationships domain. Increasing patient unmet needs was significantly associated with increasing partner unmet needs (p<0.01).ConclusionsA significant proportion of head and neck cancer partners experience unmet needs, which often differ from the patient's needs.



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