Experiences and Needs of Swiss Cancer Survivors in the Domains of Health-Related Information and the Healthcare System

Abstract

Background/Objectives: In recent years, the number of cancer survivors has rapidly increased in Switzerland, as well as worldwide. As cancer increasingly becomes a chronic condition, numerous bio-psycho-social and spiritual challenges emerge, leading to significant needs for this population. The aims of this study were to determine the experiences of Swiss cancer survivors with two domains, i.e., health-related information and healthcare systems, and their risk factors, and to see whether these experiences align with the needs identified in the literature. Methods: Data from the cross-sectional multicentred survey Swiss Cancer Patient Experiences were analysed. A total of 1870 adult Swiss cancer survivors were included in the analysis. For each domain, an overall score ranging between 0 (poor experience) and 10 (excellent experience) was constructed including 11 and 10 questions, respectively. The questions that highlighted non-positive experiences by patients were grouped to calculate so-called "problematic" scores for each domain; linear and logistic regressions were conducted to identify the variables influencing these problematic scores needs. Results: The mean overall and "problematic" scores were 7.5 (SD 2.6) and 6.8 (SD 3.2), respectively, for health-related information, and 8.0 (SD 2.4) and 7.0 (SD 3.6), respectively, for the healthcare system. Four variables were found to be associated with the problematic scores: geographical location, foregoing care, self-assessed health, and level of health literacy. Conclusions: Swiss cancer survivors reported problematic experiences in the domains of information and healthcare systems which could lead to unmet needs. The systematic assessment of these needs is recommended to improve patients' experiences and provide more effective and supportive follow-up care.

Keywords: PREMs; cancer; cancer survivors; health-related information; healthcare services; needs assessment; patient experiences; patient survey; unmet needs.