Publication:

Satisfaction of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in day care units: a cross-sectional study

Background Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of cancer treatment and more than half of all cancer patients undergo chemotherapy at some stage of their illness. It is widely delivered in outpatient day care settings. The study aimed at evaluating the satisfaction levels of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in outpatient day care units and examining the association of satisfaction with selected socio-demographic and clinical variables.

Methods A quantitative study with a cross-sectional research design was conducted among 500 cancer patients attending the day care chemotherapy unit of a tertiary care centre. Participants were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Self-structured tools, including socio-demographic ad clinical variables and a patient satisfaction rating scale, were used for data collection.

Results The study revealed that the majority of patients (96%) were satisfied with the care they received at day care chemotherapy unit, while only a few (1%) reported dissatisfaction. Significant association was found between patient satisfaction and age (p=0.002), whereas other demographic and clinical variables showed no significant association.

Conclusions The study indicates that the majority of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in day care chemotherapy unit reported a high level of satisfaction with the services provided. As age was found to have a significant influence on satisfaction levels, suggesting that age-specific preferences and needs should be taken into account when planning and delivering care. These findings emphasize the importance of continuous quality assessment to ensure that patient-centered care remains a priority in oncology day care settings.