Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study
Objective: There is limited research examining palliative care (PC) knowledge and experiences in patients with cervical cancer. As this may inform who may benefit from specialty PC services, we investigated PC awareness, perspectives, needs, and acceptability in this population. Methods: We conducte...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Gynecologic Oncology Reports |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352578925000992 |
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| author | Jaclyn A. Wall Tamara Nix-Parker Katherine Klein Marie A. Bakitas |
| author_facet | Jaclyn A. Wall Tamara Nix-Parker Katherine Klein Marie A. Bakitas |
| author_sort | Jaclyn A. Wall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: There is limited research examining palliative care (PC) knowledge and experiences in patients with cervical cancer. As this may inform who may benefit from specialty PC services, we investigated PC awareness, perspectives, needs, and acceptability in this population. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of patients with newly diagnosed (<12 months) cervical cancer. Eligible patients were > 18 years old and English-speaking. Semi-structured interview topics included knowledge/perceptions of PC, knowledge/perceptions of hospice, and experiences with PC or hospice. Participants were then read a brief definition and overview of services provided by PC (education). We then explored perceptions of PC acceptability and timing. Interviews were deidentified, professionally transcribed, and coded. Codes were grouped into categories and themes. Results: Seventeen patients participated. Median age was 52, 64 % were white, all had insurance. 35 % had stage I disease, 17.6 % stage II, and 47 % stage III. Most had minimal PC knowledge (12/17, 70.6 %) but were aware of hospice (16/17, 94.1 %) and understood it as end-of-life care (10/17, 58.8 %). Following our education, most felt PC would be beneficial (13/17, 76.5 %), and favored early introduction in their care (11/17, 64.7 %). We identified four main themes: two pre-education (PC knowledge is lacking, hospice is well-understood and favorably viewed) and two post-education (PC would provide an unmet benefit, early PC is preferable). Conclusions: PC knowledge was limited. However, following brief education, most patients found it desirable and favored early integration. This highlights the need for further research on developing early PC initiatives for patients with cervical cancer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-31b645f07acd48f694eb0cc0912e2d6c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2352-5789 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gynecologic Oncology Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-31b645f07acd48f694eb0cc0912e2d6c2025-08-20T03:30:51ZengElsevierGynecologic Oncology Reports2352-57892025-06-015910177410.1016/j.gore.2025.101774Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative studyJaclyn A. Wall0Tamara Nix-Parker1Katherine Klein2Marie A. Bakitas3Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Richmond, VA, USA; Corresponding author at: VCU School of Medicine McGlothlin Medical Education Center, 1201 East Marshall Street, 11th floor, room 213, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USAVirginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Richmond, VA, USASchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care, USA; Center for Palliative and Supportive Care, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USAObjective: There is limited research examining palliative care (PC) knowledge and experiences in patients with cervical cancer. As this may inform who may benefit from specialty PC services, we investigated PC awareness, perspectives, needs, and acceptability in this population. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of patients with newly diagnosed (<12 months) cervical cancer. Eligible patients were > 18 years old and English-speaking. Semi-structured interview topics included knowledge/perceptions of PC, knowledge/perceptions of hospice, and experiences with PC or hospice. Participants were then read a brief definition and overview of services provided by PC (education). We then explored perceptions of PC acceptability and timing. Interviews were deidentified, professionally transcribed, and coded. Codes were grouped into categories and themes. Results: Seventeen patients participated. Median age was 52, 64 % were white, all had insurance. 35 % had stage I disease, 17.6 % stage II, and 47 % stage III. Most had minimal PC knowledge (12/17, 70.6 %) but were aware of hospice (16/17, 94.1 %) and understood it as end-of-life care (10/17, 58.8 %). Following our education, most felt PC would be beneficial (13/17, 76.5 %), and favored early introduction in their care (11/17, 64.7 %). We identified four main themes: two pre-education (PC knowledge is lacking, hospice is well-understood and favorably viewed) and two post-education (PC would provide an unmet benefit, early PC is preferable). Conclusions: PC knowledge was limited. However, following brief education, most patients found it desirable and favored early integration. This highlights the need for further research on developing early PC initiatives for patients with cervical cancer.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352578925000992 |
| spellingShingle | Jaclyn A. Wall Tamara Nix-Parker Katherine Klein Marie A. Bakitas Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study Gynecologic Oncology Reports |
| title | Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study |
| title_full | Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study |
| title_short | Cervical cancer patients’ knowledge and experiences with palliative care – A qualitative study |
| title_sort | cervical cancer patients knowledge and experiences with palliative care a qualitative study |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352578925000992 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jaclynawall cervicalcancerpatientsknowledgeandexperienceswithpalliativecareaqualitativestudy AT tamaranixparker cervicalcancerpatientsknowledgeandexperienceswithpalliativecareaqualitativestudy AT katherineklein cervicalcancerpatientsknowledgeandexperienceswithpalliativecareaqualitativestudy AT marieabakitas cervicalcancerpatientsknowledgeandexperienceswithpalliativecareaqualitativestudy |