Exploring attitudes about developing cancer among patients with pre-existing mobility disability

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Mobility disability is the most common disability in the U.S. (13.7%), with associated disparities in cancer screening and prevalence.
• Individuals with mobility disability and cancer face unique psychosocial challenges.
• Understanding their attitudes towards cancer diagnosis is critical for supportive care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the attitudes of individuals with pre-existing mobility disability towards their cancer diagnosis.
• To identify key themes and concerns related to cancer diagnosis in this population.
• To inform the development of tailored support services.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 20 in-depth individual interviews with participants diagnosed with cancer (excluding skin cancer) who use assistive devices or need help with activities of daily living (ADLs).
• Utilized conventional content analysis on verbatim transcripts to identify recurring themes.
• Achieved data saturation to ensure comprehensive data collection.

Main Results:

• Three major themes emerged: sense of control, seeking support, and recommendations for care.
• Participants expressed varied feelings about control, with some finding cancer more challenging than their disability, and others vice versa.
• Support seeking encompassed emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal forms. Self-advocacy and health monitoring were key recommendations.

Conclusions:

• People with mobility disability and cancer exhibit complex attitudes towards their diagnosis.
• Findings underscore the need for enhanced psychosocial support tailored to this population.
• Improving support quality can better address the unique needs of individuals with mobility disability undergoing cancer treatment.