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Unmet Supportive Care Needs of Patients With Colorectal Cancer: Significant Differences by Type D Personality

Shiow-Ching Shun

Kun-Huei Yeh

Jin-Tung Liang

John Huang

Shing-Chia Chen

Been-Ren Lin

Pei-Hsuan Lee

Yeur-Hur Lai

supportive care, colorectal cancer, personality
ONF 2013, 41(1), E3-E11. DOI: 10.1188/14.ONF.E3-E11

Purpose/Objectives: To explore the association between supportive care needs and type D personality, and to identify personality traits, including negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI), and their influence on the supportive care needs of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Design: Cross-sectional, correlational survey.

Setting: Oncology and surgical outpatient clinics at a medical center in northern Taiwan.

Sample: 277 patients diagnosed with CRC.

Methods: Data were collected using a set of structured questionnaires to measure supportive care needs, symptom distress, anxiety, depression, and personality traits. The associations between type D personality and supportive care needs were verified by the Mann-Whitney U test. The significant roles of personality traits were identified by generalized estimating equations, controlling for biophysical and psychological factors overall, and for the five supportive care domains.

Main Research Variables: Supportive care needs, type D personality.

Findings: Patients with CRC reported the most unmet needs in the health system and the information domain. Type D patients had higher needs overall and in most domains, except for sexuality needs. A higher level of NA indicated higher overall and psychological needs. A higher level of SI indicated lower needs in health system and information.

Conclusions: The level of unmet supportive care needs of patients with CRC is highly associated with type D personality. The trait of NA alters levels of overall supportive care and psychological needs, and the trait of SI influences needs in health system and information.

Implications for Nursing: Assessing personality traits before providing an education program is highly recommended for patients with cancer. The assessment could improve the quality of personalized education programs and better meet patient needs.

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