Purpose: The purpose of the present systematic review was to develop a practice guideline to inform health care providers about screening, assessment, and effective management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in adults. Methods: The internationally endorsed adapte methodology was used to develop a practice guideline for pan-Canadian use. A systematic search of the literature identified a broad range of evidence: clinical practice guidelines, systematic reviews, and other guidance documents on the screening, assessment, and management of CRF. The search included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and other guideline and data sources to December 2009. Results: Two clinical practice guidelines were identified for adaptation. Seven guidance documents and four systematic reviews also provided supplementary evidence to inform guideline recommendations. Health professionals across Canada provided expert feedback on the adapted recommendations in the practice guideline and algorithm through a participatory external review process. Conclusions: Practice guidelines can facilitate the adoption of evidence-based assessment and interventions for adult cancer patients experiencing fatigue. Development of an algorithm to guide decision-making in practice may also foster the uptake of a guideline into routine care.

No abstract

Background To determine if a group social skills intervention program improves social com-

Receiving CIT, having poor behavioral regulation, being a female, under 11 years old and coming from low-income, non-White families place PBTSs at risk for poor QOL.

A group intervention to reduce emotional and behavioral problems in siblings of children with cancer was evaluated. Forty-seven siblings aged 6 to 14 years participated in seven groups, with 4 to 9 siblings in each group. Groups consisted of eight weekly two-hour sessions guided by a manual. Four assessments were conducted: two before the intervention and two after the intervention. Children completed self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and behavior; parents reported on siblings' anxiety and behavior. After the intervention, siblings reported Dr. Barrera is a Registered Psychologist and an Associate Scientist,

No abstract

Objective: Diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer can impact the mental health of the family. Early psychosocial risk screening may help guide interventions. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate if an intervention (providing psychosocial risk information to the patient’s treating team) would result in decreased depression symptoms in caregivers, in general, and relative to initial psychosocial risk. A secondary aim was to examine intervention effects in a small sample of patient and sibling self-reported outcomes. Methods: We randomly allocated families to the intervention group (IG, treating team received PAT summary) or control group (CG, no summary). One hundred and twenty-two caregivers of children newly diagnosed with cancer completed measures of depression and anxiety and psychosocial risk 2–4 weeks from diagnosis (T1) and 6 months later (T2). Patients and siblings completed self-report measures of depression and anxiety. Results: There was no significant difference in caregiver depression symptoms between the IG and CG at T2. However, in the context of psychosocial risk, caregivers in the IG showed improvement in depression scores compared to CG when risk was high near diagnosis (Ms = 6.68 vs. 9.76, respectively, d = .60). Similar results were found in anxiety scores. Intervention effects with patients and siblings were inconclusive. Conclusions: Sharing psychosocial risk information with the treating team had measurable impact on mental health outcomes only if caregivers had initial high psychosocial risk. This study contributes to our understanding of mapping psychosocial screening and resources to improve outcomes in families managing childhood cancer.

No abstract