Qualitative exploration of head and neck cancer patient-reported experience of radiotherapy: insight on restriction anxiety and 'claustrophobia' (H&amp;N PRER RAC)

Demographic	Category	Count
Sex	Male	13
Sex	Female	5
Age	< 50	1
	50–59	11
	60–69	1
	70–79	5
Marital status	Married/domestic partnership	14
	Single/never married	2
	Divorced	2
Employment status	Employed	5
	Self-employed	1
	Unable to work	1
	Semi-retired	1
	Retired	8
	Not recorded	2
Ethnicity	British	16
Ethnicity	Not recorded	2
Time since radiotherapy (weeks)	6	12
	12	4
	12+	2

Table 1.

Demographics.

PT ID	Patient recommendations
PT 03, 11, 17, 18, 19	Staff talking over the intercom
PT 03, 11, 13	Staff letting a patient know the precise time they have left
PT 05	Cutting open the mouth and nose holes if possible
PT 05, 09, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18	Provide music for patients
PT 05	Counting your fingers and toes
PT 08, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18	Take a loved one with you
PT 09, 18, 19	Bigger treatment room with windows
PT 09, 14, 17, 18, 19	Using the yellow stars
PT 14, 17, 18, 19	CALMs team for everyone having a mask
PT 17	Heated tables/blanket (cold on the table)

Table 2.

Patient recommendations to help reduce distress during mask making and treatment.

PT ID	Patient recommendations
PT 05, 08, 11, 19	Videos of the mask making
PT 05,18	Leaflets of the mask
PT 05	Videos of patients who have claustrophobia and manage to get through the treatment with the mask
PT 08, 17, 19	See a mask before treatment
PT 08, 11, 13	Staff to take more time to explain what is happening
PT 11, 17, 19	See the radiotherapy machines
PT 11, 19	Video/seeing the radiotherapy room

Table 3.

Patient recommendations for improving the information they receive about mask making and treatment.