Table 1.
Baseline patient characteristics, supportive and palliative care needs, and quality of life
| Characteristic | Patient navigation (n = 66) | Usual care (n = 67) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age, years (SD) | 61.8 (14.2) | 59.2 (13.1) |
| Gender, male, n (%) | 35 (53) | 34 (51) |
| Lives in rural area, n (%) | 6 (9) | 8 (12) |
| Unemployed/self‐employed, n (%) | 50 (76) | 45 (67) |
| Uninsured, n (%) | 58 (88) | 60 (90) |
| Monthly income <$600 USD, n (%) | 28 (43) | 41 (61) |
| Educational level, n (%) | ||
| Middle school or less | 30 (45) | 27 (40) |
| High school or higher | 36 (55) | 40 (60) |
| Tumor types, n (%) | ||
| Hepatopancreatobiliary | 21 (32) | 23 (34) |
| Other gastrointestinal | 17 (26) | 13 (20) |
| Genitourinary | 10 (15) | 10 (15) |
| Breast | 5 (7) | 7 (11) |
| Gynecological | 2 (3) | 3 (4) |
| Lung | 2 (3) | 2 (3) |
| Others | 9 (14) | 9 (13) |
| Supportive and palliative care needs and symptoms, n (%) | ||
| Moderate/severe pain | 28 (42) | 32 (47) |
| Screening positive for depression or anxiety | 51 (77) | 51 (75) |
| Suicidal ideation | 3 (5) | 0 (0) |
| Moderate/severe fatigue | 44 (66) | 43 (64) |
| Caregiver burden | 19 (29) | 12 (18) |
| Sleep disturbance | 39 (59) | 40 (60) |
| Life expectancy ≤6 months | 29 (44) | 31 (46) |
| Geriatric screening positive | 21 (32) | 16 (24) |
| Quality of life (FACT‐G scores), mean (95% CI) | ||
| Overall | 68.9 (64.6–73.2) | 67.4 (63.2–71.7) |
| Physical well‐being | 19.0 (17.3–20.6) | 18.5 (16.9–20.0) |
| Social/family well‐being | 19.5 (18.3–20.7) | 19.6 (18.2–21.0) |
| Emotional well‐being | 15.8 (14.6–16.9) | 15.9 (14.7–17.0) |
| Functional well‐being | 14.7 (13.1–16.2) | 13.5 (11.9–15.2) |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; FACT‐G, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General.