The Needs of Healthcare Cancer Services among Cancer Patients and Caregivers in Thailand
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Abstract
The purposes of this descriptive research were to assess and prioritize the essential needs in cancer services for patients and caregivers. The sample comprised 462 cancer patients and caregivers from 8 cancer hospitals in Thailand. The research used purposive sampling technique. Research instrument was a questionnaire on cancer service needs for patients and caregivers with 4-level rating scale. Content validity was 1.0 (IOC = 1.0) and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were .87 and .92 ( = .87, .92). Data were analyzed using mean, percentage, standard deviation and modified priority needs index.
The findings of the study revealed that the overall essential needs in cancer services for patients and caregivers remained at a moderate level of PNImodified = .23. The top three essential needs were 1) cancer prevention (PNImodified = .36), 2) palliative care (PNImodified = .35), and 3) cancer screening (PNImodified = .30). The highest needs from five dimensions of cancer plan service were cancer prevention knowledge (PNImodified = .43), early screenings (PNImodified = .42), rapidly receiving diagnostic results (PNImodified = .18), duration of treatment (PNImodified = .10), and home visits by healthcare providers (PNImodified = .70). The study recommended that cancer services should improve on cancer prevention, cancer screening and palliative care dimensions to meet the essential needs of cancer patients and caregivers.
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