Financial concerns: a critical gap in survivors’ experience of the implementation of the national standards for cancer survivorship care
- 1Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA
- 2Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky, 171 Funkhouser Dr., Lexington, KY 40506 USA
- 3Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA
Abstract
Purpose: It is vitally important to comprehensively identify and address cancer survivors’ unmet needs. The new national standards for cancer survivorship care may improve survivorship care by defining quality care. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to describe how survivorship care at one cancer center aligns with the health system processes outlined in the national standards.
Methods: Survey participants (N = 150) were survivors purposively sampled by treatment status, cancer stage, and geographic residence. Survey data evaluated how well providers assessed, listened to, and managed participants’ concerns across key domains and were primarily analyzed descriptively. Survey data were complemented by semi-structured interview data from n = 17 survivors, which were analyzed using directed content analysis.
Results: Greater than 70% of participants reported that their providers regularly assessed and listened to physical and emotional concerns. Fewer than 30% reported regular assessment of financial and insurance concerns. Once identified, most concerns were adequately managed by care teams, the exception being practical concerns. Interviewees highlighted quality survivorship care in general with some internal and external barriers. Participants recommended increasing awareness of available services and improving care coordination and navigation related to survivorship care.
Conclusions: Results suggest that while survivorship care may align with the national standards related to physical and emotional concerns, there is critical need to improve assessment and management of financial concerns.
Implications for Cancer Survivors: Cancer centers should conduct comprehensive screening that includes financial and other practical concerns and implement processes for connecting survivors with needed services.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x.
Related
- Supporting implementation of the national standards for cancer survivorship care: development of the cancer survivorship maturity model (CSMM)
- The national standards for cancer survivorship care in action: caregiver experiences across stage, phase, and geography
- Contextual assessment of perceived health system alignment with National Standards for Cancer Survivorship Care in the American Southeast
- Understanding and advancing alignment of the national standards for cancer survivorship care for adolescents and young adults: challenges and opportunities
- Barriers to survivorship care for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: perspectives of survivors and cancer specialists
BibTeX
@article{webster2026financial,
title = {{Financial concerns: a critical gap in survivors’ experience of the implementation of the national standards for cancer survivorship care}},
author = {Marguerite A. Webster and Abigayle R. Feather and Sandi Back-Haddix and Courtney Blair and Marjorie L. Stanek and Lynn J. Andreae and Laurie E. McLouth and Jessica L. Burris},
journal = {Journal of Cancer Survivorship},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Financial concerns: a critical gap in survivors’ experience of the implementation of the national standards for cancer survivorship care
AU - Marguerite A. Webster
AU - Abigayle R. Feather
AU - Sandi Back-Haddix
AU - Courtney Blair
AU - Marjorie L. Stanek
AU - Lynn J. Andreae
AU - Laurie E. McLouth
AU - Jessica L. Burris
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/19
JO - Journal of Cancer Survivorship
DO - 10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x
AB - Purpose: It is vitally important to comprehensively identify and address cancer survivors’ unmet needs. The new national standards for cancer survivorship care may improve survivorship care by defining quality care. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to describe how survivorship care at one cancer center aligns with the health system processes outlined in the national standards. Methods: Survey participants (N = 150) were survivors purposively sampled by treatment status, cancer stage, and geographic residence. Survey data evaluated how well providers assessed, listened to, and managed participants’ concerns across key domains and were primarily analyzed descriptively. Survey data were complemented by semi-structured interview data from n = 17 survivors, which were analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: Greater than 70% of participants reported that their providers regularly assessed and listened to physical and emotional concerns. Fewer than 30% reported regular assessment of financial and insurance concerns. Once identified, most concerns were adequately managed by care teams, the exception being practical concerns. Interviewees highlighted quality survivorship care in general with some internal and external barriers. Participants recommended increasing awareness of available services and improving care coordination and navigation related to survivorship care. Conclusions: Results suggest that while survivorship care may align with the national standards related to physical and emotional concerns, there is critical need to improve assessment and management of financial concerns. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Cancer centers should conduct comprehensive screening that includes financial and other practical concerns and implement processes for connecting survivors with needed services. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-026-02126-x.
SN - 1932-2259
SN - 1932-2267
ER -