Profiles of Symptom Suffering and Functioning in Children and Adolescents Receiving Chemotherapy

Background Some children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy experience few symptom-related adverse events, whereas others experience multiple adverse events. If oncology nurses could identify patients likely to have pronounced chemotherapy-related adverse events, tailored supportive care could be matched to these patients’ symptom burdens. Objective The aim of this study was to identify symptom profiles in children and adolescents before and after chemotherapy, and the sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with profile classification and change. Methods Participants ranging from 7 to 18 years (n = 436) completed 6 Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System pediatric symptom measures within 72 hours preceding (T1) and 1 to 2 weeks after (T2) chemotherapy. Profile membership and change were determined by latent profile/latent transition analyses. Associations with profiles and profile transitions were examined using multinomial logit models and logistic regression. Results Three symptom suffering profiles were identified at T1 and T2: high, medium, and low. The high symptom suffering profile included the fewest participants (T1, n = 70; T2, n = 55); the low symptom suffering profile included the most participants (T1, n = 200; T2, n = 207). Of the participants, 57% remained in the same profile from T1 to T2. Psychological stress was significantly associated with T1 and T2 profile classifications and profile transition; age was associated with profile classification at T1. Conclusion Three symptom suffering profiles existed in a sample of pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy, indicating that children and adolescents have differing cancer treatment experiences. Implications for Practice Oncology nurses could screen pediatric oncology patients for their symptom suffering profile membership and subsequently prioritize care efforts for those with a high suffering profile.