Which Chemotherapy-Related Terms Were Difficult for Cancer Patients, and Who Would Have the Most Difficulties?

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine which chemotherapy (CTx) terms were most difficult to understand for cancer patients and identify vulnerable patient populations who might need extra support to understand the terms.

We listed 56 CTx-related terms based on the experts' review, then 300 cancer patients and their caregivers completed a questionnaire that assessed literacy in CTx terms (LCT), functional health literacy, and empowerment. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine which CTx-related terms were most difficult for them. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with LCT level.

Of the total 300 people, 162 (54.0%) were in the low-scoring group in LCT. Low-scoring group had a higher proportion of males, lower monthly income, and lived at the province, compared to the high scoring group. The participants tended to have difficulties in understanding terms related to blood count, risk of infection, and symptoms written in Sino-Korean. In the multivariable logistic regression, male participants (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48 to 4.62), those with no cancer-related information-seeking (aOR, 4.32; 95% CI, 1.75 to 12.33), and those with low empowerment (aOR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.83 to 5.23) were more likely to have a low level of LCT.

There were still linguistic health literacy challenges faced by cancer patients and their caregivers, specifically in understanding chemotherapy-related terms. Minimizing medical jargon and Sino-Korean terms and empowering patients to be ready for treatment are necessary.