Rehabilitation needs prior to adjuvant chemotherapy in a rural Swedish population

To assess well-being and unmet needs among participants, and examine differences between patients and their next of kin.

Cancer patients pre-adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 231) in rural northern Sweden, and their next of kin (n = 204).

Well-being and unmet needs were assessed using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Cancer Survivors' (Partners') Unmet Needs measure (CaSUN)/(CaSPUN). Descriptive methods summarized sociodemographic, cancer-specific, and psychosocial data. Non-parametric statistical tests examined the differences between patients and next of kin.

The HADS indicated that one-quarter of patients and one-third of next of kin possibly/probably had anxiety, and one-seventh of participants possibly/probably had depression. One-third of participants experienced no/minimal impact of cancer on well-being. The CaSUN identified unmet needs in all domains, but mostly in information and psychosocial domains. At least 15% of patients/next of kin reported unmet needs in 12/26 items. For most items, next of kin reported unmet needs at a similar/higher frequency than patients (10-25%).

These findings underscore the importance of assessing well-being and rehabilitative needs in patients and their next of kin before chemotherapy, to identify those who may benefit from early professional support.