Receipt of Psychosocial Care Among Cancer Survivors in the United States

• © 2013 by American Society of Clinical Oncology

Receipt of Psychosocial Care Among Cancer Survivors in the United States

1. Laura P. Forsythe⇑,
2. Erin E. Kent,
3. Kathryn E. Weaver,
4. Natasha Buchanan,
5. Nikki A. Hawkins,
6. Juan L. Rodriguez,
7. A. Blythe Ryerson and
8. Julia H. Rowland

+ Author Affiliations

1. Laura P. Forsythe, Erin E. Kent, and Julia H. Rowland, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Laura P. Forsythe, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC; Kathryn E. Weaver, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; and Natasha Buchanan, Nikki A. Hawkins, Juan L. Rodriguez, and A. Blythe Ryerson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. 

1. Corresponding author: Laura P. Forsythe, PhD, MPH, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, 1828 L St NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036; e-mail: lforsythe@pcori.org.

Abstract

Purpose Given the importance of psychosocial care for cancer survivors, this study used population-based data to characterize survivors who reported a discussion with health care provider(s) about the psychosocial effects of cancer and who reported using professional counseling or support groups (PCSG) and tested associations between receipt of psychosocial care and satisfaction with care.

Patients and Methods We examined survivors of adult cancers from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (N = 1,777). Multivariable logistic regression models examined factors associated with receipt of and satisfaction with psychosocial care.

Results Most survivors (55.1%) reported neither provider discussions nor use of PCSG; 31.4% reported provider discussion only, 4.4% reported use of PCSG only, and 8.9% reported both. Non-Hispanic blacks (v non-Hispanic whites), married survivors, survivors of breast cancer (v prostate or less prevalent cancers), those treated with chemotherapy, and survivors reporting past research study/clinical trial participation were more likely to report provider discussion(s) (P < .01). Hispanics (v non-Hispanic whites), survivors age 40 to 49 years (v ≤ 39 years), survivors of breast cancer (v melanoma or less prevalent cancers), those diagnosed ≤ 1 year ago (v > 5 years ago), survivors treated with radiation, and past research participants were more likely to report use of PCSG (P < .05). Survivors reporting any psychosocial care were more likely to be “very satisfied” with how their needs were met (P < .001).

Conclusion Many survivors do not report a discussion with providers about the psychosocial effects of cancer, which reflects a missed opportunity to connect survivors to psychosocial services. These data can benchmark the success of efforts to improve access to cancer-related psychosocial care.