A University of California Irvine study reported 90% patient satisfaction in cancer patients who were offered a multilanguage electronic tool to report their symptoms.
The study, published July 15 in JCO Oncology Practice, was conducted between July 2021 and June 2023 at the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The study comprised 250 participants. Of these, 30.8% were Hispanic, 20.4% were non-Hispanic Asian and 42.4% were non-Hispanic white.
Patients reported their symptoms on an electronic patient-reported outcome-driven symptom management tool, or e-PRO, at infusion visits. Oncology pharmacists would then review the results to personalize symptom management, treatment and care.
Authors say the tool's multi language feature allowed racial and ethnic minority patients to more easily communicate with their care providers, potentially mitigating disparities in health care outcomes while promoting patient satisfaction.
"Racial and ethnic disparities significantly affect symptom burden and severity, but early recognition of health issues is often hindered by patients’ limited health literacy or poor communication due to language barriers," Alexandre Chan, PharmD, study co-author and UC Irvine chair said in a July 15 news release from UC Irvine.