title: Changes and predictors of unmet supportive care needs in Taiwanese women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate changes in unmet supportive care needs and factors affecting those needs in Taiwanese women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective longitudinal survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two general surgery outpatient departments at a large medical center in northern Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  124 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Needs were assessed with the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form at diagnosis (T1) and one month (T2), two months (T3), and three months (T4) after diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Supportive care needs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women had moderate-to-high levels of unmet needs, with the highest being in the health system and information domain at each time point. Levels in the domains of psychological, health system and information, and sexuality needs were higher (p < 0.001) at T1 than at T2, T3, and T4. However, levels of unmet physical and daily living needs increased significantly over time (p < 0.001). Unmet supportive care needs were significantly predicted by younger age and higher levels of education, symptom distress, trait anxiety, state anxiety, and time since diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supportive care needs changed significantly over time and were predicted by personal characteristics, as well as physical and emotional factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncology nurses should assess the needs of patients with breast cancer and provide them with individualized, culturally sensitive informational, social, and emotional support from breast cancer diagnosis through the first four months of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Administration Center of the Medical Research Department at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou and Chang Gung University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei-Nan
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Shu-Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shin-Cheh
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yung-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ya-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsueh-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Chao-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Miin-Fu
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sui-Whi
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jane
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000523:psychology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004522:Educational Status; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan