Unmet information needs predict anxiety in early survivorship in young women with breast cancer

To examine variations in anxiety and longitudinal associations between unmet supportive care needs and elevated anxiety in young women (< 50 years) within 13 months of their breast cancer diagnosis.

Two hundred and nine women recruited through Victorian Cancer Registry completed questionnaires at study entry (T1) (average 7 months post-diagnosis) then 3 (T2) and 6 months later (T3). Women completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Supportive Care Needs Survey-Breast Cancer (SCNS-Breast) at each time point. Primary outcome was anxiety with six domains of SCNS-Breast (physical daily living, information, psychological, health system information, peer support, patient care and miscellaneous needs) the key predictors. Generalised estimating equations examined longitudinal associations.

Over the 6 months, the proportion of young women with elevated anxiety decreased (T1, 41% to T3, 35%; p = .06) as did the proportion with any moderate or high unmet needs (T1, 88%; T3, 74%; p < .01). While psychological needs and peer needs were positively associated with anxiety levels in multivariable cross-sectional analyses, in multivariable longitudinal analysis, only informational needs were associated with higher levels of anxiety (p < .001) with this association holding after adjusting for baseline anxiety levels.

While reducing over time, a third of young women treated for breast cancer enter early survivorship with elevated anxiety and unmet supportive care needs.

As informational needs were positively associated with future levels of anxiety, addressing needs in this domain may decrease the risk of anxiety in younger women with breast cancer.