Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32503477›Full record

Observational studyBMC cancer2020

Meeting psychosocial needs to improve health: a prospective cohort study.

Austyn Snowden, Jenny Young, Jan Savinc

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Austyn SnowdenEdinburgh Napier University, Sighthill campus, School Health & Social Care, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, Scotland.
Jenny YoungEdinburgh Napier University, Sighthill campus, School Health & Social Care, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, Scotland. J.Young3@napier.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1588-2590
Jan SavincEdinburgh Napier University, Sighthill campus, School Health & Social Care, Edinburgh, EH11 4BN, Scotland.

Funding

Macmillan Cancer Support N/A
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer impacts on patients and their families across a range of different domains. For that reason, optimal cancer care has moved away from a disease-centric focus to a more holistic approach in order to proactively support people with their individual needs and concerns. While international policy clearly advocates this agenda, implementation into routine care is limited. Therefore, relevant interventions that measurably improve patient outcomes are essential to understand if this ideal is to become routine multidisciplinary practice. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of a proactive, holistic, community-based intervention on health-related quality of life in a cohort of people diagnosed with cancer. Secondary aim was to explore the relationship between changes in health status and: cancer type, cancer stage, number of concerns expressed and change in severity of concerns pre and post intervention.

methodProspective observational cohort study. A convenience sample of 437 individuals were referred to the service 'Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) in the UK. Each completed the Euroqol EQ-5D-3 L and visual analogue scale (VAS) and a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA) during initial visit to the service and again at follow-up review, median 84 days later. Change between scores was tested with paired t-tests and relationships between variables with multiple regression models with heteroscedasticity-consistent standard errors.

resultsParticipants were White British with median age between 50 and 64 years. Cancer type and stage were varied. EQ-5D utility scores improved at follow-up by 0.121 [0.0891-0.153], p < .001, and VAS scores improved by 7.81 [5.88-9.74], p < .001. The strongest predictor of change was a decrease in severity of concerns. Cancer stage 'palliative care' contributed to a reduction in health status.

conclusionThis study is the first to show that a holistic community intervention dedicated to supporting the individual concerns of participants had both a statistically significant and clinically meaningful impact on participants' health-related quality of life. The mean change in EQ-5D scores was more than the 'minimally important clinical difference' described in the literature. This is important because while quality of life has multiple determinants, this study has shown for the first time that it is possible to capture a clinically meaningful improvement as a function of reducing someone's personally identified concerns.

Indexed as

Health StatusHolistic HealthQuality of LifeAdultAgedCommunity-Based Participatory ResearchFemaleHealth Services Needs and DemandHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeeds AssessmentNeoplasmsProspective StudiesPsychiatric RehabilitationSurveys and QuestionnairesCancerCommunityEQ-5DHealth statusHolistic needs assessmentPsychosocialQuality of lifeSupport

Identifiers

PMID32503477
PMCPMC7275579

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.