UNMET NEED FOR SUPPORTIVE CARE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADULT CANCER PATIENTS RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN NEKEMTE TOWN

Abstract

Background: Supportive care aims to prevent and manage the adverse effects of cancer and its treatments. Recent literature emphasizes unmet needs in areas like psychological support, pain management, and information access, but often lacks a comprehensive assessment. This study will deepen understanding of these unmet supportive care needs, highlight specific challenges faced by cancer patients, and lay the groundwork for future research. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess unmet needs for supportive care and associated factors among adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at Nekemte town public Hospitals, Nekemte, Ethiopia, 2025. Methods: A mixed-approach cross-sectional study design was conducted among 468 cancer patients at Nekemte town public hospitals. Pretested and validated interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were entered with Epi Data version 4.6 and exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 26 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were presented through frequency tables and graphs. A bi-variable logistic regression analysis was done and Variable with a p value less than 0.05 along 95% confidence interval and adjusted odd ratio (AOR) considered as significant. Multi-collinearity among independent variables was checked using variables inflation factor. The overall model fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. Purposive sampling was used to select study participants and in-depth interview was used in the qualitative part and thematically analyzed in Open Code software version 4.0. Results: More than half of study participants 252(53.8%, 95% CI: 49.3%-58.3%) had unmet need. Education (AOR=3.37 (1.23 - 9.22), 95% CI) and working at private (AOR 1.61 (1.57-9.24), 95% CI) were among significantly associated variables with unmet needs for supportive care among study participants. The qualitative analysis reveals a critical triad of unmet needs for supportive care. Inadequate physical and daily living support, a deficit in psychological and emotional care, and insufficient information and communication from providers. Conclusions: This study underscores a critical magnitude of unmet needs for supportive care (53.8%) among cancer patients. Psychological needs 72.2% and physical need 62.8% emerging as the strongest predictors. It is recommended that health facility managers & providers to improve the accessibility and acceptability of services through training staff in client centered care to improve the unmet needs.

Key words: Cancer, Unmet need, supportive care, Nekemte