The relation between information provision and health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression among cancer survivors: a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
Providing information that is congruent with patients' needs is an important determinant for patient satisfaction and might also affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and anxiety and depression levels of cancer survivors.


METHODS
The authors systematically reviewed the available literature on the relationship between information provision and HRQoL, anxiety and depression. A PubMed literature search for original articles published until February 2010 was carried out. Twenty-five articles, all conducted between 1996 and 2009, which met the predefined inclusion criteria, were subjected to a quality checklist.


RESULTS
Satisfied patients, patients with fulfilled information needs, and patients who experience less information barriers, in general have a better HRQoL and less anxiety and depression. Out of eight intervention studies that aimed to improve information provision, only one showed a positive association with better HRQoL.


CONCLUSIONS
Health care providers must pay more attention to patient-centred information provision. Additional research is needed to make definitive conclusions about information interventions as most results did not reach statistical significance due to methodological constraints. The quick development of the relatively young research field of patient-reported outcomes in cancer survivorship will make it possible to conduct better quality studies in the future.
Husson
O
O
Department of Medical Psychology and Neuropsychology, CoRPS-Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg; Comprehensive Cancer Centre South (CCCS), Department of Research, Eindhoven Cancer Registry, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: O.Husson@uvt.nl.
Mols
F
F
Department of Medical Psychology and Neuropsychology, CoRPS-Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg; Comprehensive Cancer Centre South (CCCS), Department of Research, Eindhoven Cancer Registry, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
van de Poll-Franse
L V
LV
Department of Medical Psychology and Neuropsychology, CoRPS-Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic Diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg; Comprehensive Cancer Centre South (CCCS), Department of Research, Eindhoven Cancer Registry, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
D001007:Anxiety; D003863:Depression; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D058980:Information Literacy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*