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Influencing factors of treatment and prognosis perceptions among advanced cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose

The present study aimed to investigate the status and significantly influencing factors of treatment and prognosis perceptions among advanced cancer patients based on patient-reported outcome.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at two tertiary A general hospitals. From June to September 2019, 300 patients were invited and 292 of them participated in this study. Except for 9 invalid questionnaires, 283 pen-paper questionnaires including sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, Chinese Version of Prognosis and Treatment Perception Questionnaire, Herth Hope Index, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were well completed. Descriptive analysis, Pearson’s correlation test, logistic regression analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were applied for analysis.

Results

One hundred seventy-five (61.8%) advanced cancer patients reported inaccurate treatment perception. Prognosis perception scored 87.9 ± 13.72 indicating a middle level of prognosis perception. Fourteen (4.9%), 138 (48.8%), and 131 (46.3%) patients presented low, middle, and high prognosis perception levels, respectively. In patients, without spouse and religion beliefs, received chemoradiotherapy, diagnosed as cancer equal to or less than 1 year, and higher hope level were inaccurate treatment perception’s risk factors. Younger age, longer diagnosis time, higher educational level, less support for medical expenses payment, receiving chemoradiotherapy, and lower hope level but more anxiety and depression symptoms were positive predictors of prognosis perception.

Conclusions

A majority of advanced cancer patients in this study reported inaccurate treatment and middle level of prognosis perception influencing by objective and subjective factors. Clinical interventions could be developed referring these impacting factors originating from patient-reported outcome.

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Data and materials availability

All authors declared that all data and materials as well as software application or custom code support their published claims and comply with field standards.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Funding

The study was funded by the Project of Research Planning Foundation on Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education (no. 20YJAZH144).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thoracic Surgery Department, Qingdao University Affiliated Municipal Hospital, No. 1 Jiaozhou Road, Shibei District, Qingdao, 266011, Shandong Province, China

    Bo Hu

  2. Qingdao University Affiliated Municipal Hospital, No. 25 Donghai Middle Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong Province, China

    Xiaomeng Yin

  3. Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong Province, China

    Chunyan Du & Hui Zhu

  4. School of Nursing, Qingdao University, No. 15 Ningde Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong Province, China

    Zhanjun Gao, Xiuli Zhu & Jizhe Wang

Authors
  1. Bo Hu
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  2. Xiaomeng Yin
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  3. Chunyan Du
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  4. Hui Zhu
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  5. Zhanjun Gao
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  6. Xiuli Zhu
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  7. Jizhe Wang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Study design and material preparation were performed by Bo Hu, Xiaomeng Yin, and Jizhe Wang. Data collection and analysis were performed by Bo Hu, Xiaomeng Yin, Nuan Wang, Hui Zhu, Zhanjun Gao, Xiuli Zhu, and Jizhe Wang. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Bo Hu, Xiaomeng Yin, and Jizhe Wang and all authors commented on the previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jizhe Wang.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

This study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki and was supported by the ethical committee of the university which the researchers affiliated.

Consent to participate

Before distributing the questionnaires, all the patients signed the informed consents. And they indicated that they understood the nature and purpose of the study and they knew that their personal information would not be divulged.

Consent for publication

Not applicable. Because this is not a case study, but cross-sectional study. We collect data anonymously. We present the results by analyzing a large number of quantitative data and there will be no information leakage of any participants.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Hu, B., Yin, X., Du, C. et al. Influencing factors of treatment and prognosis perceptions among advanced cancer patients: a cross-sectional study. Support Care Cancer 30, 1209–1220 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06516-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-021-06516-y

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