Cancer patients' referral wish: effects of distress, problems, socio-demographic and illness-related variables and social support sufficiency

Background The present study's aim was to examine effects of cancer patients' perceived distress and problems, socio‐demographic and illness‐related variables and social support sufficiency on referral wish. Methods A cross‐sectional group of 1340 patients (response = 51%) completed a ques...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psycho-oncology (Chichester, England) England), 2016-11, Vol.25 (11), p.1363-1370
Main Authors: Admiraal, J. M., van Nuenen, F. M., Burgerhof, J. G. M., Reyners, A. K. L., Hoekstra-Weebers, J. E. H. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Cancer
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dutch version
Emotional disturbances
Female
Health care
Humans
Identification
Independent living
Intensive treatment
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Needs Assessment
Neoplasms - psychology
Netherlands
Patients
Perceived social support
Psychological distress
Quality of Life - psychology
Questionnaires
Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data
Social Support
Sociodemographics
Stress
Stress, Psychological - psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Variables
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:Background The present study's aim was to examine effects of cancer patients' perceived distress and problems, socio‐demographic and illness‐related variables and social support sufficiency on referral wish. Methods A cross‐sectional group of 1340 patients (response = 51%) completed a questionnaire consisting of the Dutch version of the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, including the referral wish question, and questions on socio‐demographic and illness‐related variables and perceived social support sufficiency. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the effects of these variables on patients' referral wish. Results Of the patients who completed the referral wish question (N = 1297), 13% wished and 21% considered a referral, while 66% did not want a referral. Univariate analyses showed that, in comparison with patients not having a referral wish, those having a (maybe) wish were more distressed, reporting more problems in all Problem List domains, younger, more likely not to have children or children living at home, higher educated, more likely to be employed, under active treatment or recently diagnosed, receiving more intensive treatment and more likely to perceive support received to be insufficient. A final ordinal logistic regression analysis showed independent effects of distress, practical and emotional problems, age and treatment phase on referral wish (χ2(6) = 205.9; p 
ISSN:1057-9249
1099-1611
DOI:10.1002/pon.4067