Also included in: Pediatrics / children's health;??Psychology / Psychiatry
Article date: May 13, 2013 - 1:00 PDT current ratings for:
Identify the social needs of young people with Cancer
Research done by Xiao Cheng Wu, MD, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of the tumor registry Louisiana at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health and colleagues, reports adolescents and young adults with cancer may be at greater risk of social isolation and a proportion of them with unmet social needs that could harm their health.
The research is published online in the Journal of adolescent and young adult Oncology. More than 500 participants in teen and Young Adult Health Outcomes patient study experience (AYA HOPE) conducted a survey on 6-14 months after diagnosis including questions about two social information needs - how about their experience of cancer with family and friends and meet other teens or young adults cancer patients/survivors. Patients have been identified through seven Surveillance, Epidemiology and End results (SEER) program sites: the States of Iowa and Louisiana. the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan and Seattle/Puget Sound, Washington; and three metropolitan areas in California: Los Angeles County, San Francisco/Oakland and Sacramento County. Participants were from 15 to 39 years at diagnosis and were diagnosed with cancer in this age group. The researchers examined variables such as the age at diagnosis, sex, ethnicity, education and status of health insurance at the time of diagnosis. They have studied the clinical factors, including treatment (radiation, chemotherapy and surgery), current overall health, the overall quality of care and the number of symptoms the previous month. Participants were invited on the global impact of their cancer on specific areas of their lives.
The research team found that the social information needs were higher among those who were in their twenties at the time of diagnosis - with 25% of statement needing help to talk about their cancer. About 43% of those Hispanics or 'other' ethnic group expressed the need to meet survivors peer. Those who were not in support of the group, had a large number of symptoms or other diseases, as well as the low perceived quality of care also need more help.
"Our results identify subgroups of teenagers and young adults who most need additional social support and suggest targets for clinical intervention," notes Dr. Wu.
Research has shown that cancer may limit the ability of these young patients at your new or maintain relations both in their development when homologous binding is the norm. Even when the patient support network is strong, current friends may not be able to meet the psychosocial needs because they do not understand the problems that come with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, further isolating the patient. Existing resources can be unknown, out of their financial reach, or unsuitable for these young people.
Proposed actions include the development of capable support programs for different phases of the cancer experience of providing services for a diverse age group, overcome geographical and financial barriers and lack of cultural diversity in the offerings, but also to increase awareness and access to support groups peer with other cancer patients and survivors. Improve awareness and access to a connection online through social media, as well as assistance to learn to share their experiences with their loved ones would also support support. The researchers say that the development of communication tools specifically for them can help these young patients express their needs and gain emotional relatives and friends support. It is also important to awareness of health and other professionals to these resources.
"With very little research in this area, understand what subgroups of the adolescent and young adult cancer patients have the most need and what they perceive their greatest must be is extremely important to adapt the interventions and programmes of support for them," note Dr. Wu, who leads one of the 18 cancer registries in the SEER registries are designated by the National Cancer Institute in the United States.
Article adapted by Medical News Today press release original. Click on "references" tab above for the source.Visit our cancer / Oncology section for the latest news on this subject. In addition to Mr. Wu at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Public Health, other authors of the AYA hope study Collaborative Group: researchers from the National Cancer Institute, Cancer Prevention Institute of California, Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Iowa, University of Southern California Keck School of medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute, with the support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper, or report:
MLA
May 13. 2013
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
"Identify the social needs of young people with Cancer.
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to notify you when your message is published. We do not use it for other purposes. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific drugs or operations, please are not professional health of the name by name.
All reviews are moderated before they can be included (to stop spam)
Contact our News editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors, please use our feedback form.
Please send any new medical or health press releases to:
Note: any medical information published on this website are not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should take any action before consulting professional health care. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment