CN_LBA1 Uncovering the needs of lymphoma survivors: A cross-sectional study

Despite the significant improvement in lymphoma survival rates in recent decades, little attention has been paid to researching the survivorship experience. This study sought to address this gap by identifying the most common unmet needs among lymphoma survivors and the explanatory factors influencing their unmet needs. For this cross-sectional study, adult lymphoma survivors one to five years post-diagnosis were recruited from five hospital sites across Ireland. To measure the extent of unmet needs, the validated Short-Form Survivors Unmet Needs Survey was utilised, where high scores indicated a greater level of unmet need (scores ranged from 0 = No Unmet Needs to 4 = Very High Unmet Needs). Descriptive, univariate, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Two hundred and two lymphoma survivors completed the unmet needs survey. The most commonly reported unmet need was "coping with having a bad memory or lack of focus", with 21.4% of respondents (n=43) endorsing it. Other frequently reported unmet needs were "feeling tired” (19%, n=38), "dealing with people who expect me to be 'back to normal'” (17.9%, n=36), "changes in how my body appears” (16.9%, n=34), and "feeling stressed” (16.4%, n=33). The top seven most frequently reported unmet needs fell within the coping, sharing, and emotional needs or work and financial needs domains. Being female was consistently associated with more unmet needs across all domains. Similarly, being younger was associated with more unmet needs. Individuals without private health insurance reported greater unmet needs. The timing of diagnosis was another influential factor; those with a more recent diagnosis (one to three years ago) experienced higher levels of unmet needs. Several factors were associated with higher unmet needs across domains. Lymphoma survivors may require additional psychological support or assistance with their work, financial or information needs. Identifying the prevalent unmet needs of lymphoma survivors in Ireland provides evidence for the development of future survivorship programmes and services for this population. This study spotlights the importance of addressing unmet needs to improve quality of life for this group and reduce dependency on health services.