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Requests for Health Education from Chinese Cancer Patients During Their Recovery Period: a Cross-Sectional Study

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Abstract

To determine the prevalence of posttreatment patient requests for health information from Chinese cancer patients during their recovery period, a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a mailed survey was conducted among 374 patients selected randomly. The survey addressed what types of information patients actually wanted but did not receive from their care providers. Questionnaires from 360 patients were received and analyzed. Approximately 76.0 % of the patients did not receive health information and expressed the need for the information. The information about how to reduce emotional distress (90.1 %), rehabilitation (76.2 %), disease symptoms (59.3 %), and nutritional support (56.8 %) were paramount among patients’ concerns. Only 12.8 % hoped to acquire information on sexual health. Health information for cancer patients at the recovery stage in China is poor. A tripartite involvement of the hospital–family–community and the combined intervention related to physical sequelae and psychosocial factors are needed at the recovery stage.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the participants for their time and interest. We appreciate the executive and support from the chair Prof. Irene Quek Kim Ngoh, Sir Yuebing Wen, and Prof. William W Au. The study was supported by grants from the research project of science and technology of Guangdong Provincial Health Office (A2005460), Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2011B031800151), Development Program Foundation for Major Subject of Guangdong Province “211 Project” (second phase), and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, China.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical Approval

Approval for this study was provided the Research Ethics Board in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital, SUMC (STFZ [2003] 2H).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, GD, China

    Wei-Li Qiu, Pei-Juan Lin, Fei-Qun Ruan, Xiao Wu & Miao-Ping Lin

  2. Department of Public Health, Shantou University Medical College, 22, Xin Ling Road, Shantou, 515041, GD, China

    Lian Liu, Jia-Yi Luo & Kun Lin

Authors
  1. Wei-Li Qiu
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  2. Pei-Juan Lin
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  3. Fei-Qun Ruan
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  4. Xiao Wu
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  5. Miao-Ping Lin
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  6. Lian Liu
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  7. Jia-Yi Luo
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  8. Kun Lin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kun Lin.

Additional information

Wei-Li Qiu and Kun Lin contributed equally to this study.

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Qiu, WL., Lin, PJ., Ruan, FQ. et al. Requests for Health Education from Chinese Cancer Patients During Their Recovery Period: a Cross-Sectional Study. J Canc Educ 28, 428–434 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-013-0482-0

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