title: The influence of life stage on supportive care and information needs in cancer patients: does older age matter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of older age, on supportive care needs, information satisfaction and service needs in the year following a cancer diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary or recurrent prostate, breast, lung or colorectal cancer patients (n = 394) were prospectively surveyed 3 and 9 months post-diagnosis using the Support Care Needs Survey (SCNS-LF59) and Information Satisfaction (ISQ) and Service Needs (SNQ) questionnaires. Two age groups were compared: ≥65 years (senior) versus ≤64 years (junior).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Few differences emerged between age groups (SCNS) with the exception of psychological (p < 0.001) and sexuality (p < 0.001) domains where these were greater in the younger patients 3 months post-diagnosis. Sexuality (p < 0.001) and patient care and support (p = 0.023) needs were predicted by age (continuous); younger patients had more needs at 3 months post-diagnosis. For information satisfaction, the older group preferred doctors to make decisions (3 months p < 0.001; 9 months p = 0.008) and preferred positive information (3 months p = 0.006). For the whole group fears about cancer spreading (51 %) and returning (45 %) predominate, alongside patients' concerns about worries of those closest to them (51 %) and uncertainty about their future (42 %) at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older patients differ on information satisfaction showing a preference for doctors to make treatment decisions. For supportive care, there were few age differences; however, the SCNS sexuality and patient care and support domains indicate greater need in younger patients around the 3-month period following diagnosis. With a few exceptions, individual rather than age-specific needs determine supportive and informational care requirements.
authors.affiliation: Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK, maggie.watson@live.co.uk.
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davolls
authors.forename: Kabir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shepherd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires