Abstract:
Background: Globally cancer diagnosis is a complex problem to the patients and to the
health care providers also to the family members of the patients with cancer. Cancer patients
have different needs during their disease trajectory. The most needs expressed by cancer
patients were fund in providing information about prognosis, medical treatment, information
related to their family and psycho social and emotional needs.
The purpose: To assess needs of cancer patients attending outpatient department at Rwanda
Military Hospital.
Methods: In this study, the researcher has used a quantitative approach, descriptive cross
section; convenience sampling methods, sample size was 93 adults‟ cancer patients. Data was
gathered and entered into computer, analyzed with SPSS version 21, chi square has been used
to assess the association between demographic information with different needs of cancer
patients, a logistic regression analysis displaying Odd Ratio and Confidence Interval of 95%
has been used. And the results were presented in form of tables.
Results: The results shown the high level of needs among patients with cancer in domain of
information needs about diagnosis 90.3%, lack of information about different modalities of
treatments 71% and need about information on disease prognosis was highly reported to
91.4%. In addition most of participants reported inability to perform their regular
job/activities with high proportion of 91.4% but were happy with the support given by the
family. The results also showed a strong association between demographic information and
needs of cancer patients to be met or unmet.
Conclusion: Patients with cancer face many challenges in their disease process; different
needs rise as days go on. Unmet needs have been reported in many sensitive domains of
needs (information about diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis and psycho social-emotional
needs).Health care providers need to be able to assess cancer patients‟ needs and provide an
appropriate care.
