Voluntary reporting to assess symptom burden among Yemeni cancer patients: common symptoms are frequently missed

Article Type
Changed
Fri, 01/04/2019 - 11:12
Display Headline
Voluntary reporting to assess symptom burden among Yemeni cancer patients: common symptoms are frequently missed
Background Adequate symptom assessment is necessary to relieve the high symptom burden experienced by cancer patients. However, health care professionals may depend only on patient’s voluntary reporting (VR) to assess symptoms and therefore some symptoms may be missed.

Objective To assess the symptom burden experienced by Yemeni cancer patients by using VR and systematic assessment (SA).

Methods 50 cancer patients were asked an open question to voluntarily report their symptoms. This was followed by an SA of a list of 20 common physical symptoms that was drawn up based on the literature.

Results From 375 symptom entries related to the 20 symptoms, VR accounted for 66 entries (18%) and SA for 309 (82%). The mean number of VR symptoms/patient was 1.3, and the mean number of VR plus SA symptoms was 7.5 (P < .001). In all, 74% of VR symptoms and 57% of SA symptoms were moderate or severe. For each symptom, the percentage of patients who experienced it and did not report it voluntarily (missed) was 100% for bleeding, constipation, early satiety, hoarseness, taste changes, and weight loss. These were followed by anorexia (97%), skin symptoms (92%), dry mouth (91%), edema (89%), dyspnea (88%), sore mouth (88%), fatigue/weakness (85%), diarrhea (80%), dysphagia (80%), nausea (76%), cough (75%), urinary symptoms (75%), vomiting (62%), and pain (18%). Pain was the most common voluntarily reported symptom (56% of patients), the most commonly distressing (42%), and the least under-reported (18%).

Limitations Relatively small sample size; the SA included only 20 symptoms.

Conclusions SA of symptoms yields a more accurate estimation of symptom burden than does VR. As with many developing countries where the majority of cancer patients present at an incurable disease stage, Yemeni cancer patients suffer a high symptom burden, especially pain.

 

Click on the PDF icon at the top of this introduction to read the full article. 

Article PDF
Issue
The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology - 14(3)
Publications
Topics
Page Number
117-121
Legacy Keywords
symptom burden, symptom assessment, voluntary reporting, VR, pain, symptom control, Yemen
Sections
Article PDF
Article PDF
Background Adequate symptom assessment is necessary to relieve the high symptom burden experienced by cancer patients. However, health care professionals may depend only on patient’s voluntary reporting (VR) to assess symptoms and therefore some symptoms may be missed.

Objective To assess the symptom burden experienced by Yemeni cancer patients by using VR and systematic assessment (SA).

Methods 50 cancer patients were asked an open question to voluntarily report their symptoms. This was followed by an SA of a list of 20 common physical symptoms that was drawn up based on the literature.

Results From 375 symptom entries related to the 20 symptoms, VR accounted for 66 entries (18%) and SA for 309 (82%). The mean number of VR symptoms/patient was 1.3, and the mean number of VR plus SA symptoms was 7.5 (P < .001). In all, 74% of VR symptoms and 57% of SA symptoms were moderate or severe. For each symptom, the percentage of patients who experienced it and did not report it voluntarily (missed) was 100% for bleeding, constipation, early satiety, hoarseness, taste changes, and weight loss. These were followed by anorexia (97%), skin symptoms (92%), dry mouth (91%), edema (89%), dyspnea (88%), sore mouth (88%), fatigue/weakness (85%), diarrhea (80%), dysphagia (80%), nausea (76%), cough (75%), urinary symptoms (75%), vomiting (62%), and pain (18%). Pain was the most common voluntarily reported symptom (56% of patients), the most commonly distressing (42%), and the least under-reported (18%).

Limitations Relatively small sample size; the SA included only 20 symptoms.

Conclusions SA of symptoms yields a more accurate estimation of symptom burden than does VR. As with many developing countries where the majority of cancer patients present at an incurable disease stage, Yemeni cancer patients suffer a high symptom burden, especially pain.

 

Click on the PDF icon at the top of this introduction to read the full article. 

Background Adequate symptom assessment is necessary to relieve the high symptom burden experienced by cancer patients. However, health care professionals may depend only on patient’s voluntary reporting (VR) to assess symptoms and therefore some symptoms may be missed.

Objective To assess the symptom burden experienced by Yemeni cancer patients by using VR and systematic assessment (SA).

Methods 50 cancer patients were asked an open question to voluntarily report their symptoms. This was followed by an SA of a list of 20 common physical symptoms that was drawn up based on the literature.

Results From 375 symptom entries related to the 20 symptoms, VR accounted for 66 entries (18%) and SA for 309 (82%). The mean number of VR symptoms/patient was 1.3, and the mean number of VR plus SA symptoms was 7.5 (P < .001). In all, 74% of VR symptoms and 57% of SA symptoms were moderate or severe. For each symptom, the percentage of patients who experienced it and did not report it voluntarily (missed) was 100% for bleeding, constipation, early satiety, hoarseness, taste changes, and weight loss. These were followed by anorexia (97%), skin symptoms (92%), dry mouth (91%), edema (89%), dyspnea (88%), sore mouth (88%), fatigue/weakness (85%), diarrhea (80%), dysphagia (80%), nausea (76%), cough (75%), urinary symptoms (75%), vomiting (62%), and pain (18%). Pain was the most common voluntarily reported symptom (56% of patients), the most commonly distressing (42%), and the least under-reported (18%).

Limitations Relatively small sample size; the SA included only 20 symptoms.

Conclusions SA of symptoms yields a more accurate estimation of symptom burden than does VR. As with many developing countries where the majority of cancer patients present at an incurable disease stage, Yemeni cancer patients suffer a high symptom burden, especially pain.

 

Click on the PDF icon at the top of this introduction to read the full article. 

Issue
The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology - 14(3)
Issue
The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology - 14(3)
Page Number
117-121
Page Number
117-121
Publications
Publications
Topics
Article Type
Display Headline
Voluntary reporting to assess symptom burden among Yemeni cancer patients: common symptoms are frequently missed
Display Headline
Voluntary reporting to assess symptom burden among Yemeni cancer patients: common symptoms are frequently missed
Legacy Keywords
symptom burden, symptom assessment, voluntary reporting, VR, pain, symptom control, Yemen
Legacy Keywords
symptom burden, symptom assessment, voluntary reporting, VR, pain, symptom control, Yemen
Sections
Citation Override
JCSO 2016;13:117-12
Disallow All Ads
Alternative CME
Article PDF Media