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Background: This study examines information needs and satisfaction with provided information among childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumor survivors and their parents. Material and methods: In a population-based sample of 697 adult survivors in Sweden, 518 survivors and 551 parents provided data. Information needs and satisfaction with information were studied using a multi-dimensional standardized questionnaire addressing information-related issues. Results: Overall, 52% of the survivors and 48% of the parents reported no, or only minor, satisfaction with the extent of provided information, and 51% of the survivors expressed a need for more information than provided. The information received was found useful (to some extent/very much) by 53%, while 47% did not find it useful, or to a minor degree only. Obtaining written material was associated with greater satisfaction and usefulness of information. Dissatisfaction with information was associated with longer time since diagnosis, poorer current health status and female sex. The survivors experienced unmet information needs vis-à-vis late effects, illness education, rehabilitation and psychological services. Overall, parents were more dissatisfied than the survivors. Conclusion: These findings have implications for improvements in information delivery. Information in childhood CNS tumor care and follow-up should specifically address issues where insufficiency was identified, and recognize persistent and with time changing needs at the successive stages of longterm survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aims to determine the long-term impact on families of adult survivors of childhood central nervous system tumors. Illness-related family consequences were studied in relation to modifying determinants. Methods In a population-based cohort of parents of 697 survivors 18 years and older, 551 parents provided data. The impact of cancer on the families was evaluated in four domains using the Impact on Family Scale (economic situation, personal burden, social life, sibling impact). The results were analyzed in relation to survivors' health assessed using the Health Utilities Index™, parent satisfaction with information about illness and treatment, and perceived health-care needs of their child. Results Despite an established mild-to-moderate impact on the group level, outcomes provided evidence of substantial cancer-related family consequences even once the child had reached adulthood. About one fifth of parents reported psychological and financial difficulties exceeding the cutoff limit for a significant impact still ≥5 years after diagnosis. A stronger total family impact was associated with poorer health of survivors ( F[3,302] = 56.65, p < 0.001), and unmet informational - ( F[3,231] = 14.06, p < 0.001) and health-care needs ( t218 = 5.31, p < 0.001). The impact was unrelated to survivors' age at follow-up and time since diagnosis. Conclusions Adverse cancer-related consequences affect a considerable portion of families of childhood survivors of central nervous system tumor, even after reaching adulthood. The impact is aggravated by lasting sequelae and perceived shortcomings of long-term follow-up, factors that partly are avoidable. Improved clinical follow-up should particularly address illness information and long-term health-care needs to reduce the impact on families of survivors suffering from chronic health conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the current study was to examine the persistent health care needs (HCNs) of adult survivors of childhood central nervous system tumors. METHODS: In this population-based study, 526 of 679 eligible survivors and 550 parents provided data. Survivors' HCNs were assessed using a questionnaire covering 4 domains: Medical Care, care coordination and communication (Care Coordination), Illness Education, and Psychosocial Services. Needs were categorized as no need, met need, and unmet need. Outcomes were analyzed specifically in relation to survivors' functional late effects as assessed using the Health Utilities Index Mark 2/3. RESULTS: Approximately 40% of survivors experienced their HCNs as exceeding the supposed general population average, and 41% had a current HCN that was unmet. The most common unmet need concerned the Psychosocial Services domain (reported by 40%), followed by a lack of Illness Education (35%), Care Coordination (22%), and Medical Care (15%). Survivors experiencing functional late effects had greater HCNs, and a greater percentage of unmet needs. Agreement between survivor-reported and parent proxy-reported HCNs was satisfactory, whereas agreement for survivors' unmet HCNs ranged from poor to satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Findings based on reliable double-informant data demonstrated that a considerable percentage of adult survivors report unmet HCNs, with female sex, younger age at diagnosis, and indications of disability and poor health status comprising significant risk factors. Issues critical for improved, comprehensive, long-term follow-up care were identified. Addressing these issues adequately in clinical follow-up extending into adulthood would likely improve the quality of comprehensive care for this patient group. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]