Healthcare Satisfaction Among Parents of Children With Advanced Cancer: Impact of Parent-Oncologist Therapeutic Alliance

Abstract

Background

Parents of children with advanced cancer often report unmet needs during treatment. While research is limited, their satisfaction with care can be influenced by difficulties in symptom management and communication with the medical team. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of symptom burden in children with advanced cancer and parent-oncologist alliance on their healthcare satisfaction.

Methods

Participants (n = 30 fathers; n = 53 mothers) were parents of 65 children with advanced cancer. Children were an average age of 12.64 (SD = 4.79) years old, and the sample was predominantly White (n = 63; 88%). At enrollment, parents completed surveys assessing demographic factors, their child’s symptoms, parent-oncologist alliance, and healthcare satisfaction.

Results

On average, mothers and fathers reported high healthcare satisfaction scores of 105.70 (SD = 16.23) and 105.80 (SD = 12.92), respectively. Healthcare satisfaction was not associated with demographic or medical factors, but satisfaction was higher with less symptom burden and greater parent-oncologist alliance. The final model predicting healthcare satisfaction was significant for mothers, F(2,50) = 38.66, P < .001; R ² = .61, and for fathers F(2,27) = 8.50, P = .001, R ² = .39, with parent-oncologist alliance the only factor accounting for significant variance after controlling for symptom burden.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that the parent-oncologist relationship plays a salient role in healthcare satisfaction regardless of family background and symptom burden among children with advanced cancer. Enhancing oncologists’ skills in communication and relationship building may promote better healthcare satisfaction for parents even when cure is unlikely.