Publications by authors named "Maria Fidelis Manalo"
Context: Most cancer-associated pain is experienced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to inequitable access to opioids.
Objective: To determine opioid access as estimated by both patients and providers and to understand patient and facility-level factors influencing access among patients with advanced cancer in LMICs in Asia using the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use.
Methods: The APPROACH cross-sectional study was conducted in seven LMICs in Asia, involving in-depth surveys with providers and advanced cancer patients.
Purpose: This study aimed to describe the quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress (anxiety and depression) of Filipino patients with advanced solid cancers and identify sociodemographic and clinical-related factors associated with them.
Methods: 195 patients with advanced cancer were recruited from a major hospital treating cancer patients in the Philippines. Participants completed self-reported surveys on Quality-of-life (QOL-FACT-G) and psychological distress (HADS-D, HADS-A).
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates palliative care (PC) awareness, utilization, and barriers among advanced cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries in Asia, revealing a low overall awareness rate of 30.8%.
- Higher education, better economic status, understanding disease severity, and severe pain are linked to increased awareness of PC services.
- Major barriers to utilization include ongoing anti-cancer treatment and insufficient information about PC, indicating a need for targeted efforts to improve awareness, particularly among disadvantaged groups.
Objectives: Perceived cancer-related stigma can affect mental health and potentially treatment choices for patients with cancer. Nevertheless, perceived stigma is not very well understood in Asia. This study investigated across six developing Asian countries: (1) the prevalence of perceived stigma among advanced cancer patients, (2) its risk factors, and (3) its association with patient treatment preferences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF