Psychometric properties of cancer survivors' unmet needs survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to develop a psychometrically rigorous instrument to measure the unmet needs of adult cancer survivors who are 1 to 5 years post-cancer diagnosis. "Unmet needs" distinguishes between problems which survivors experience and problems which they desire help in managing.


METHODS
The survey was developed from a comprehensive literature review, qualitative analysis of the six most important unmet needs of 71 cancer survivors, review of the domains and items by survivors and experts, cognitive interviews and a pilot test of 100 survivors. A stratified random sample of 550 cancer survivors, selected from a population-based Cancer Registry, completed a mailed survey to establish reliability and validity.


RESULTS
The final 89-item Survivors Unmet Needs Survey (SUNS) has high acceptability, item test-retest reliability and internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha 0.990), face, content and construct validity. Five subscales measure Emotional Health needs (33 items, 19.4% of variance), Access and Continuity of Care (22 items, 15.1%), Relationships (15 items, 12.1%), Financial Concerns (11 items, 10.3%) and Information needs (eight items, 8.1% of the variance).


CONCLUSIONS
This instrument has strong psychometric properties and is useful for determining the prevalence and predictors of cancer survivors' unmet needs across types of cancer, length of survivorship and socio-demographic characteristics. Use of the SUNS will enable more effective targeting of programmes and services and guide policy and health planning decisions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is an important step toward evidence-based planning and management of problems which the growing survivor population requires assistance in managing.
Campbell
H Sharon
HS
Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo, Room 1726, Lyle S Hallman Institute North, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. sharoncm@uwaterloo.ca
Sanson-Fisher
Rob
R
Turner
Donna
D
Hayward
Lynda
L
Wang
X Sunny
XS
Taylor-Brown
Jill
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*