Background:
Breast cancer is a significant health problem worldwide and a complex disease both physically and psychologically. Understanding cancer patients’ information needs is the crucial first step in designing interventions to meet the needs of cancer patients.
Aim:
A descriptive prospective study was conducted to: 1-Identify the expectations and information needs of Egyptian newly diagnosed breast cancer women undergoing surgery.2-Explore why they believed this information was important, and 3- Identify the levels of satisfaction with the provision of information provided by healthcare professionals.
Methods:
Forty four newly diagnosed breast cancer women undergoing surgery from surgical wards at Oncology Center; Mansoura University Hospitals during six months were recruited based on including and excluding criteria. Two tools were used for data collection: 1- Self administered information needs questionnaire. 2- Satisfaction with the provision of information provided by the health care professionals' questionnaire. Demographic data sheet was attached at the end page of the scale.
Results:
The findings of this study indicated that patients rated highly the need for all types of information. They rated most highly the need for information about surgery -related information especially postoperative complications and when to seek medical help. Patients were not satisfied with the information they were provided
Conclusions:
1. The study concluded that women are often not given the information they need by health care professionals.
2. There was in congruence between the information that women want and the information that was given to them by health care professionals.
3. This study will aid health care professionals in planning care by providing a more thorough understanding of the challenges women face as the phenomenon of expressed information needs unfolds.
Key words: information needs, newly diagnosed, breast cancer, undergoing surgery, satisfaction