Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T01:48:30.621Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Emerging adulthood and cancer: How unmet needs vary with time-since-treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2010

Brett Millar ,
Pandora Patterson  and
Natacha Desille
Brett Millar
Affiliation:
CanTeen Australia, NSWAustralia
Pandora Patterson*
Affiliation:
CanTeen Australia, NSWAustralia
Natacha Desille
Affiliation:
University of Western Sydney, NSWAustralia
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Pandora Patterson, CanTeen, GPO Box 3821, Sydney NSW 2001, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

The impact of a cancer experience during emerging adulthood (18–25 years of age) is an under-studied phenomenon, with research on young people typically focussing on children or adolescents. Needs-based research on this population is even scarcer. This study sought to ascertain the most commonly-unmet needs of emerging adults with cancer, in various stages of time-since-treatment, and to investigate links to psychological functioning.

Method:

Using an earlier version of a needs-based questionnaire, presently under development, as well as additional items developed specifically for this age group, the ten most unmet needs were determined for 63 emerging adults in each of the following three groups: those on or within one year since treatment; those between one and five years since treatment; and those beyond five years since treatment. Psychological functioning was measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21).

Results:

On average, participants rated 17.7 of the 132 needs as unmet. The 10 most unmet needs for each group generated a distinct picture of how needs change as time-since-treatment increases. For those at or within one year since treatment, there were a number of unmet needs directly related to health care provision and the hospital experience. For those whose treatment was more than one year previous, the most unmet needs were more focussed on emotional/psychological issues, particularly related to survivorship and life direction. Positive correlations were found between the number of unmet needs and levels of anxiety and stress.

Significance of results:

The results of the present study provide quantitative needs-based information about emerging adults with cancer, in the context of their treatment situation. This enables health care providers to better support the emerging adult with cancer in ways that are age-appropriate and time-sensitive. The persisting levels of unmet needs and psychological distress beyond five years since treatment underscore the importance of long-term follow-up and support.

Keywords

Emerging AdulthoodCancerNeedsTimeYoung People
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , pp. 151 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Antony, M.M., Bieling, P.J., Cox, B.J., et al. (1998). Psychometric properties of the 42-item and 21-item versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales in clinical groups and a community sample. Psychological Assessment, 10, 176–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnett, J.J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55, 469–480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnett, J.J. (2001). Conceptions of the transition to adulthood: Perspectives from adolescence through midlife. Journal of Adult Development, 8, 133–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Asadi-Lari, M., Tamburini, M. & Gray, D. (2003). Patients' needs, satisfaction, and health-related quality of life: Towards a comprehensive model. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 32, 1–15.Google Scholar
Bleyer, W.A. (2002). Cancer in older adolescents and young adults: Epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, survival, and importance of clinical trials. Medical and Pediatric Oncology, 38, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bleyer, W.A. & Barr, R.D. (2007). Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults. New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Brown, T.A., Korotitsch, W., Chorpita, B.F., et al. (1997). Psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) in clinical samples. Behavior Research and Therapy, 35, 79–89.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Decker, C., Phillips, C.R. & Haase, J.E. (2004). Information needs of adolescents with cancer. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 21, 327–334.Google ScholarPubMed
Dunsmore, J. & Quine, S. (1995). Information, support, and decision-making needs and preferences of adolescents with cancer: Implications for health professionals. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 13, 39–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erikson, E. (1963). Childhood and Society. New York: Norton.Google Scholar
Grinyer, A. (2002). Cancer in Young Adults: Through Parents' Eyes. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.Google Scholar
Hobbie, W.L., Stuber, M., Meeske, K., et al. (2000). Symptoms of post traumatic stress in young adult survivors of childhood cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 18, 4060–4066.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hays, W.L. (1973). Statistics for the Social Sciences. New York: Holt, Rhinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Kazak, A.E., Alderfer, M.A., Streisand, R., et al. (2004). Treatment of posttraumatic stress symptoms in adolescent survivors of childhood cancer and their families: A randomized clinical track. Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 493–504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Little, M., Jordens, C., Paul, K., et al. (2001). Surviving Survival: Life after Cancer. Sydney, Australia: Choice Books.Google Scholar
Lovibond, P.F. & Lovibond, S.H. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Sydney: Psychology Foundation of Australia.Google Scholar
Mattsson, E. (2008). Cancer during adolescence: Psychosocial consequences and methodological issues. Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, http://urn.kb.se/resolved?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-8643.Google Scholar
Mullan, F. (1985). Seasons of survival: Reflections of a physician with cancer. New England Journal of Medicine, 313, 270–273.Google ScholarPubMed
Palmer, S., Mitchell, A., Thompson, K., et al. (2007). Unmet needs among adolescent cancer patients: A pilot study. Palliative & Supportive Care, 5, 127–134.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parry, C. (2003). Embracing uncertainty: An exploration of the experiences of childhood cancer survivors. Qualitative Health Research, 13, 227–245.Google ScholarPubMed
Patterson, P., Millar, B. & Desille, N. (2009). The unmet needs of emerging adults with cancer. Manuscript submitted for publication.Google Scholar
Roberts, C.S., Severinsen, C., Carraway, C., et al. (1997). Life changes and problems experienced by young adults with cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 15, 15–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shakeshaft, A., Sanson-Fisher, R. & Girgis, A. (2006). Young person's needs survey. Unpublished measure.Google Scholar