Needs of Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Immunotherapy and Acceptance of Digital and Sensor-Based Scenarios for Monitoring Symptoms at Home—A Qualitative-Explorative Study

Milena von Kutzleben, Jan Christoph Galuska, Andreas Hein, Frank Griesinger and Lena Ansmann
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Milena von Kutzleben: Division for Organizational Health Services Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr, 140, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Jan Christoph Galuska: Division for Organizational Health Services Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr, 140, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Andreas Hein: Division for Assistance Systems and Medical Technology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr, 140, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
Frank Griesinger: Department of Hematology and Oncology at the Pius-Hospital Oldenburg, Georgstraße, University Department Internal Medicine-Oncology, 12, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany
Lena Ansmann: Division for Organizational Health Services Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Ammerlaender Heerstr, 140, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Background: The development of immunotherapy in the treatment for lung cancer has changed the outlook for both patients and health care practitioners. However, reporting and management of side effects are crucial to ensure effectiveness and safety of treatment. The aim of this study was to learn about the subjective experiences of patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy and to explore their potential acceptance of digital and sensor-based systems for monitoring treatment-related symptoms at home. Methods: A qualitative-explorative interview study with patients with lung cancer ( n = 21) applying qualitative content analysis. Results: Participants had trouble to classify and differentiate between symptoms they experienced and it seemed challenging to assess whether symptoms are serious enough to be reported and to figure out the right time to report symptoms to health care practitioners. We identified four basic needs: (1) the need to be informed, (2) the need for a trustful relationship, (3) the need to be taken seriously, and (4) the need for needs-oriented treatment concepts. The idea of digital and sensor-based monitoring initially provoked rejection, but participants expressed more differentiated attitudes during the interviews, which could be integrated into a preliminary model to explain the acceptance of digital and sensor-based monitoring scenarios. Conclusions: Supporting lung cancer patients and their health care providers in communicating about treatment-related symptoms is important. Technology-based monitoring systems are considered to be potentially beneficial. However, in view of the many unfulfilled information needs and the unsatisfactory reporting of symptoms, it must be critically questioned what these systems can and should compensate for, and where the limits of such monitoring lie.

Keywords: lung cancer; immunotherapy; side effects; adverse events; patient’s needs; preferences; technology acceptance; palliative care; content analysis; qualitative research methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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