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Functional Stratification and Long-Term Care Service Patterns among Discharged Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective
Hui-Wen Po1, Ying-Chien Chu1, Hui-Chen Tsai1
1Department of Nursing, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch, Yunlin County, Taiwan.
Journal of Cancer
|May 25, 2026
Summary
Functional severity in cancer patients impacts long-term care needs. Moderate disability increases service types used, while severe disability correlates with respite care and longer hospital stays, guiding post-discharge planning.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Geriatrics
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Improving cancer survival leads to increased need for post-hospitalization supportive and long-term care.
- Functional decline is common in cancer survivors, but its link to long-term care utilization is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate long-term care service patterns among hospitalized cancer patients based on functional severity.
- To analyze how different levels of disability influence the type and intensity of post-discharge care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective single-center study of 207 adult cancer patients undergoing discharge planning.
- Utilized a Case-Mix System for functional severity classification.
- Employed regression analyses to assess associations between disability levels and long-term care utilization.
Main Results:
- 75% of discharged patients applied for long-term care, with utilization patterns varying by disability.
- Moderate disability was linked to more service types (aRR 1.47), while severe disability was associated with increased respite care (aRR 2.40) and longer hospitalization (ratio 2.82).
- Severe disability also showed decreased home-care use (aRR 0.40).
Conclusions:
- Functional stratification via Case-Mix System identifies distinct long-term care needs in cancer survivors.
- Moderate disability suggests broader care requirements, whereas severe disability points to specialized respite and extended care needs.
- Findings support using functional assessment for optimizing post-discharge cancer care transitions.
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