Exploring the role of psychosocial care in value-based oncology: Results from a survey of 3000 cancer patients and survivors
Abstract
PURPOSE: To explore the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and survivors across the United States and their implications for value-based oncology. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of findings from a cross-sectional national online survey. SAMPLE: Respondents were sampled and stratified by cancer type and geographic region to approximate the cancer-affected population of the United States. Breast, prostate, and colorectal were the most common cancers reported. Across surveys, the majority of respondents were female (57%), over 55 (60%), and white (70%) and had at least some college (36%). METHODS: Six online surveys were administered to cohorts of approximately 500 unique cancer patients and survivors. Survey topics included: (1) diagnosis, (2) treatment planning, (3) communication with providers, (4) insurance and financial concerns, (5) quality of life, side effects, and symptoms, and (6) survivorship and end-of-life. Descriptive analyses were used to explore psychosocial needs and experiences across three domains of patient-centered value in oncology. FINDINGS: Each survey received 500-527 responses. Respondents most commonly reported needing more information regarding their insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs (65%), access to clinical trials (89%), and support organizations (45%). Forty-one percent were very or extremely distressed about cancer's impact on their ability to work and over 25% reported high-levels of cancer-related financial hardship. CONCLUSIONS: Patients and survivors reported significant unmet informational needs, financial hardship, distress, and symptoms or treatment side effects that interfered with daily life. Implications for Psychosocial Providers or Policy: Providers and payment reform advocates can improve value in oncology by ensuring access to comprehensive psychosocial care and informational support.
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Access to in-person supportive care is often limited by clinician shortages, financial constraints, and time available to attend therapy sessions.
“Access to in-person supportive care is often limited by clinician shortages, financial constraints, and time available to attend therapy sessions [9-13].”
From Co-Designing the MOSAIC mHealth App With Breast Cancer Survivors: User-Centered Design Approach (2024) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Doherty, M., Miller-Sonet, E., Gardner, D., & Epstein, I.
- Affiliations
- The Graduate Center, CUNY (US)
- CancerCare, New York, NY, USA;
- City University of New York (US)
- Corresponding author
- Doherty, Meredith
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosocial Oncology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2018-11-19
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 441-455
- ISSN
- 0734-7332 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-7586
- OpenAlex
- W2901779852
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3
- FWCI
- 1.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosocial Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economic and Financial Impacts of Cancer
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
- Keywords
- psychosocial care, cancer patients, cancer survivors, psychosocial needs, insurance coverage, out-of-pocket costs, clinical trial access, support organizations, work-related distress, treatment side effects, quality of life, end-of-life care, survivorship
- MeSH terms
- Psychosocial Support Systems, Cancer Survivors, Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Male, Medical Oncology, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States
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