Aims: To identify validated measurement instruments that will assess informational and practical concerns of leukaemia and lymphoma survivors. Haematology cancer nurses have the potential to lead the way in providing excellent post treatment survivorship care for the increasing number of haematology survivors. An important element of care is assessment of haematology survivors’ perceived needs for the provision of appropriate resources and support. Unlike other cancers, haematological cancers are highly variable in disease type and treatment.
Methods: This Integrative literature review utilised a search of electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, PubMed, EMBASE, PsychArticles, Cochrane Library) for eligible articles published between 1970 and 2014. Articles were included if they described an instrument to assess informational and practical concerns of leukaemia and/or lymphoma survivors.
Results: Ten full text articles were identified that described cancer-specific instruments used to assess informational and/or practical needs of the haematology cancer survivor. There was variation in use of cancer survivor-specific instruments and generic quality of life cancer instruments. Most studies reported instruments to measure ongoing concerns around cancer recurrence and screening, and the necessity to identify patients at higher risk of unmet needs along the cancer survivor continuum.
Conclusions: No identified instrument was haematology-survivor specific. It is therefore difficult to determine the best instrument to use with haematology survivors. The development of a reliable and validated haematology survivor instrument that assesses supportive care needs and survivors’ desire for support and resources is warranted. This could be used in conjunction with nurse-led survivorship clinics.