Using Best‐Worst Scaling to Identify and Prioritize Supportive Care Needs From Breast Cancer Patients' Perspective: A Mixed‐Methods Study Based on an Emotional Lexicon

Breast cancer remains a global health challenge, imposing significant physical and psychological burdens. With a growing focus on patient-centered care, identifying priority supportive care needs from the perspective of patients with breast cancer is crucial. Current research often relies on standardized tools and single-method approaches, missing the complexity and diversity of breast cancer patients' needs. To address this gap, this study aims to identify and prioritize the supportive care needs most relevant to patients with breast cancer using multiple sources, including an emotional lexicon, the Best-Worst Scaling method, and semi-structured interviews. Based on an emotional lexicon of breast cancer, 50 supportive care needs items were initially identified. These items were further expanded through semi-structured interviews with 25 breast cancer patients and 12 healthcare professionals. Subsequently, the refined list of 60 items was incorporated into a Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) questionnaire to assess patient preferences. To ensure clarity and precision, an expert consensus meeting was conducted to finalize the items. The findings serve as a guide for future research to improve healthcare quality from the breast cancer patient's perspective.