Beauty Lilala Namushi, Marjorie Kabinga Makukula and Patricia Katowa Mukwato
Background: Breast Cancer is that the second commonest cancer worldwide and therefore the second commonest among Zambian women. Breast cancer
diagnosis being a stressful experience, causes psychological and emotional disruption which will be abated by meeting information needs of the affected
patients. In light of the escalating cases of carcinoma among the Zambian women, the study examined a special aspect of cancer management which is typically
neglected in most cases.
Aim: the most objective of the study was to assess information needs of carcinoma patients at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia employing a
modified structured interview schedule adopted from the Toronto Information Needs Questionnaire-Breast Cancer (TINQ-BC).
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to elicit the information needs of breast cancer patients. One hundred and ten (97% response rate)
participants were selected using simple random sampling method and data was collected using a modified structured interview schedule adopted from the
Toronto Information Needs Questionnaire-Breast Cancer (TINQ-BC). Stata 10.0 (StataCorp, 2008) was employed for all quantitative data analysis and graphical
presentation of data.
Results: The overall score for information needs was obtained by adding the scores across all the five information needs categories which were further divided
into three categories namely: low important scores, of but 50%, moderately important many 50% - 70% and highly important scores ranged above 70% of the
200 total scores. Out of the 110 participants recruited, 88 (80%) indicated that the information across the five categories was moderately important. Logistic
regression of information needs and posited determinants revealed that anxiety levels; education level; presence of co-morbidity; and being on treatment were
significant determinants of patients’ informational needs (Effect’s p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of this study support the idea that breast cancer patients are seeking more information on their illness; hence information provision is
one of the most important factors for providing top quality cancer care across the entire cancer continuum. Therefore, appreciating the information needs of breast
cancer patients is substantial in improving care.
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Journal of Oncology Translational Research received 93 citations as per Google Scholar report
