Open and structured assessment in addressing hospitalized cancer-related problems: The perception of patients and nurses in Indonesia

Purpose Although the concept of ‘cancer-related problems’ is complex, few studies compare nurses’ and caregivers’ perspectives on cancer-related problems, particularly in eastern cultures. The study aimed to identify the perceptions of patients and nurses concerning to what extent the problems of patients with cancer were assessed and addressed during hospitalization in Indonesia. Method A descriptive correlational study with cross-sectional comparisons was conducted in three major cities in Indonesia. With a convenience sample of 119 patients (response rate = 79.3%) with cancer and 147 nurses (response rate = 71%). The domains of validated Problems and Needs of Palliative Care – short version were used to measure the perceptions of the patients and nurses regarding the assessing and addressing of patients’ problems. Results The patients stated that their physical and psychological problems were very often assessed (>84%) and addressed (>90%). Patients who reported difficulties spontaneously had a lower prevalence of problems than patients who reported problems to a professional, except for the psychological subscale (P-value 0.05). The open assessment reported that the problems exhibited lower frequency than structure assessment, while nurses addressed all sub-scale problems (P-value < 0.005). Patients’ educational status, age, gender, and time of diagnosis had positive correlations with their perceptions of cancer-related problems, which they voluntarily stated. Conclusion These findings indicate essential similarities and incongruities between patients with cancer and nurses perceive cancer-related problems. The results highlight the complex technical directions of cancer nursing care in Indonesia.