title: Unmet information needs and clinical characteristics in patients with precancerous oral lesions.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate associated factors of the unmet information needs of patients with precancerous oral lesions. For this cross-sectional descriptive study, we recruited patients with precancerous oral lesions from the otolaryngology outpatient department of a single medical centre in central Taiwan. Patients were assessed using a set of structure questionnaires to measure patients' state anxiety levels, attitudes towards cancer prevention and need for information. Patients' anxiety and attitudes towards cancer prevention were evaluated based on unmet needs and associated factors were determined. Among the 106 subjects surveyed, the most prominent unmet information needs were about obtaining the test results as soon as possible. Patients with precancerous oral lesions who had high levels of state anxiety, long duration of time since quitting betel nut chewing and were without a history of oral cancer were more likely to have unmet information needs. A high level of anxiety about precancerous oral lesions was more prevalent among patients with unmet information needs than among those whose information needs were met. Health education and individual counselling should be provided to satisfy the information needs of this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management Center, Changhua Christian Hospital Yunlin Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan.|Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Cardinal Tien Junior College of Healthcare and Management, Taiwan City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001114:Areca; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: cancer; oral mucosal screening; precancerous oral lesions; unmet information needs