Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37522941›Full record

ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2023

Supportive care needs in Australian melanoma patients and caregivers: results from a quantitative cross-sectional survey.

Jake R Thompson, Hong Fu, Robyn P M Saw, Kerry A Sherman, Victoria Beedle, Victoria Atkinson, Frances Boyle, Niamh A O'Sullivan, Linda K Martin, Iris Bartula

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Effectiveness of a stepped-care model to address fear of cancer recurrence in patients with early-stage melanoma: results at 6- and 12-month follow-up.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
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

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Jake R ThompsonFaculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. jake.thompson@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0823-3218
Hong FuDepartment of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
Robyn P M SawMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3354-806X
Kerry A ShermanSchool of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7780-6668
Victoria BeedleMelanoma Patients Australia, Varsity Lakes, QLD, Australia.
Victoria AtkinsonDepartment of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
Frances BoyleMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia.
Niamh A O'SullivanMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1882-8303
Linda K MartinMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9519-7077
Iris BartulaMelanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, 40 Rocklands Road, Wollstonecraft, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4084-4115
The University of Sydney · AUThe University of Queensland · AUMacquarie University · AUMelanoma Institute Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to investigate the supportive care needs of Australian melanoma patients and their caregivers to form the basis for improving services.

methodsGeneral and melanoma-related supportive care needs in melanoma patients were measured using the SCNS-SF34 and SCNS-M12 respectively, whereas caregivers completed the SCNS-P&C. Patients also completed the MCQ-28 and FCRI-9, with all participants completing the QLQ-C30, DASS-21, and questions measuring utilisation and preference for supportive health services. Multivariable stepwise logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with unmet needs in melanoma patients.

resultsA total of 56 early-stage patients, 100 advanced-stage patients, and 37 caregivers participated. At least three-quarters ([Formula: see text] 75%) of each participant group reported at least one unmet need. Of the ten most reported unmet needs in each participant group, at least six ([Formula: see text] 60%) were related to psychological and emotional well-being, with access to a psychologist the most desired service (> 25%). Fear of cancer recurrence was equally prevalent in both patient groups at a level indicative of need for intervention. Advanced-stage patients reported significantly (p < 0.05) more unmet psychological, physical and daily living, and sexuality needs, and significantly (p < 0.05) worse functioning than early-stage patients.

conclusionAustralian melanoma patients and caregivers report substantial unmet supportive care needs, particularly regarding their psychological and emotional well-being. Psychological and emotional well-being services, such as access to a clinical psychologist or implementation of patient-reported outcome measures, should be incorporated into routine melanoma care to address unmet patient and caregiver needs and improve well-being.

Indexed as

CaregiversMelanomaAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesHealth Services Needs and DemandHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalQuality of LifeSocial SupportSurveys and QuestionnairesAnxietyMelanomaPsycho-oncologyQuality of lifeSupportive careUnmet needs

Identifiers

PMID37522941
PMCPMC10624748
OpenAlexW4385406781

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.