3567 - Beyond the Beam: Radiation Therapists' Perspectives on Psychosocial and Supportive Care In Saudi Arabia

Purpose/Objective(s):

Many cancer patients receiving radiation therapy experience unmet psychosocial needs, which may adversely affect their treatment success and overall quality-of-life. This study aims to explore current practices and perceptions of radiation therapists (RTTs) in Saudi Arabia regarding psychosocial and supportive care (PSSC) needs of patients, within the context of evolving holistic cancer care.

Materials/Methods:

A cross-sectional online survey, adapted by evidence-based tools used internationally, was distributed to RTTs in Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Arabia Radiation Therapist (SART) society between October 2025 and January 2026. The survey assessed demographic information, RTTs' confidence and perceptions related to PSSC, current clinical practices addressing psychosocial needs and barriers to providing PSSC. Responses to this survey were compared to published reports from Canada and Norway (Bezanson et al. 2025), using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. As raw respondent-level data for Canada and Norway were not available, counts for these countries were reconstructed from published percentages and reported sample sizes.

Results:

Fifty-four RTTs responded (39% response rate). Among the respondents, 54% were female and 46% male. RTTs in Saudi Arabia reported generally high confidence in core PSSC activities. Strong agreement was observed regarding the RTT’s role in addressing PSSC needs and the perceived benefit of PSSC to patient care. The most frequently reported practices included providing procedural information (74.1%) and involving family members (70.4%), whereas use of formal screening tools was less common (11.1%). The most commonly reported barriers were limited access to training (38.9%) and lack of institutional support (35.2%). When comparing Saudi Arabia with Canada and Norway, most barrier categories demonstrated statistically significant differences across countries (p < 0.05). Exceptions included cultural/language barriers, equipment and practical resource limitations, and communication skills, for which differences across countries did not reach statistical significance. These findings indicate variability in perceived barriers between countries.

Conclusion:

In Saudi Arabia, RTT's demonstrate high perceived engagement in PSSC, with practice patterns broadly comparable to those reported internationally. Nevertheless, structural barriers, particularly training access and institutional support, remain prominent. These findings highlight opportunities for targeted educational and institutional strategies to strengthen PSSC delivery within Saudi radiation oncology settings.