Abstract:
Background: Little is known about the relationship between psychosomatic symptoms and different occupations in patients with advanced cancer. Aim: To assess the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms and the status of symptom burden management among advanced cancer survivors with different occupations in China.
Material and methods: A secondary analysis based on a multicenter cross-sectional study in China. The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used via electronic patient-reported outcome platform. Symptom management associated with reported "moderate to severe" (MS) symptoms in different occupations were identified. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics and inter-group comparisons.
Results: A total of 1763 advanced cancer patients were included. Almost 50% of patients reported at least one MS symptom. The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was approximately 25%–34%. The rate of receiving symptom management was 28.1% in blue-collar workers, 36.5% in white-collar workers and 20.0% in self-employed participants. Statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups.
Conclusions and significance: Patients with advanced cancer experience relatively high levels of psychosomatic burden, and white-collar workers may receive better symptom management. There are unaddressed comorbidities associated with cancer in China and inadequate symptom management remains an urgent public healthcare problem
