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Palliative care among adult cancer survivors: Knowledge, attitudes, and correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2021

Julia Stal Open the ORCID record for Julia Stal [Opens in a new window] ,
Mary Baron Nelson ,
Erin M. Mobley ,
Carol Y. Ochoa Open the ORCID record for Carol Y. Ochoa [Opens in a new window] ,
Joel E. Milam ,
David R. Freyer  and
Kimberly A. Miller
Julia Stal*
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Mary Baron Nelson
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Department of Medical Education, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Erin M. Mobley
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL
Carol Y. Ochoa
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Joel E. Milam
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, CA
David R. Freyer
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Kimberly A. Miller
Affiliation:
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
*
Author for correspondence: Julia Stal, Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, 2001 N. Soto Street, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

Palliative care (PC) is patient and family-centered supportive care intended to improve symptom management, reduce caregiver burden, coordinate care, and improve quality of life for patients diagnosed with serious illness. Optimally, PC is begun close to initial diagnosis and delivered in synchrony with disease-specific treatment until symptom relief or patient death. The purpose of this study was to examine cancer survivors’ knowledge and perceptions of PC using a nationally representative sample of US adults from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Method

A total of 593 HINTS respondents reported a personal history of cancer and were included in the sample (55.56% female; mean age of 65.88 years, SD = 18.21; mean time from diagnosis 13.83 years, SD = 18.21). Weighted logistic regression models were conducted to identify correlates of PC knowledge.

Results

Of the 593 cancer survivors in the sample, 66% (N = 378) reported that they had never heard of PC, 18% (N = 112) reported knowing a little bit about PC, and 17% (N = 95) reported knowing what PC is and could explain it to someone else. In multivariable analysis, survivors of color (Hispanic/Latino, Black, Asian, American Indian, and Pacific Islander), males, and those less educated were significantly less likely to report knowledge of PC. Among survivors who did report knowledge of PC, a lack of distinction between differing modes of supportive care exists.

Significance of results

These findings suggest a need to increase PC knowledge among cancer survivors with the ultimate goal of addressing disparities in PC acceptance and utilization.

Keywords

CancerPalliative careQuality of lifeSurvivorshipSymptom management
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , June 2022 , pp. 342 - 347
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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