Patients’ Desire for Psychological Support When Receiving a Cancer Diagnostic

Abstract

Background: Factors related to the desire of receiving psychological help in cancer patients are not well known. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of patients who would ask for psychological assistance in the first weeks following diagnosis, and to identify their psychosocial and disease-related profile. Method: This cross-sectional study assessed 229 consecutive cancer outpatients at a visit with their oncologist to be informed about the treatment they will receive. Disease-related and medical characteristics were assessed, and patients were asked about their mood states, levels of self-efficacy, and difficulties coping with the disease. Finally, patients were asked about their desire to receive psychological assistance. Results: Only 20% of patients expressed a desire for psychological help. These patients were lower in age and had previous history of mood disorders and reported higher discouragement and coping difficulties. These variables explained 30.6% of variance. Conclusions: Although psycho-oncologists can provide helpful interventions, the percentage of patients interested in receiving psychological assistance in this study is low. Although further studies are needed, results from this study suggest methods that could easily be used by oncologists and nurses to identify patients who would like to receive psychological support.

A Review of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei: Insights Into Diagnosis, Management, and Prognosis

“…Moreover, psychological support assumes paramount importance for patients grappling with the multifaceted challenges associated with PMP treatment. Counselling services and support groups offer a nurturing environment wherein patients can find solace, navigate the intricacies of their diagnosis and treatment, and fortify their overall well-being throughout the treatment trajectory [ 35 ].…”

Predictors of cancer patients' utilization of psychooncological support: Examining patient´s attitude and physician´s recommendation

“…In another study, the percentage of patients with an over threshold level of psychosocial distress and the subjective desire for psychoonoclogical varies between 13.7% during acute care hospital and 18.2% three months after discharge (Herbert et al 2020 ). Other analyses showed a desire for support in 20% of cancer patients (Blasco, Jovell, Mirapeix, & Leon, 2022 ), or in 32% (Faller et al 2016 ), respectively. A study of patients receiving chemotherapy showed that the desire for psychooncological support was associated with distress, anxiety, and depression (Baker-Glenn et al 2011 ).…”

The Emotional Impact of a Cancer Diagnosis: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent and Young Adult Experience

“…Young people encounter a broad spectrum of tumor types or other malignancies, which occur during a critical developmental period [19,36]. Despite this heterogeneity in diagnosis, emotional distress is consistently observed in this population [37,38]. Studies have shown there is an increase in affective disorders at diagnosis which can still be present up to a year later [39,40].…”

“…For young people, these barriers may be further compounded by the degree of distress inherent in cancer, and the biographical disruptions inherent to its diagnosis [21,48]. The exact nature of these barriers is still not fully understood [44] but may relate to the type of support that is offered, i.e., 1-to-1 therapies vs. group therapy, in-person vs. online, or a lack of understanding of what psychological support entails [37]. Young people are at risk of not being able to verbalize this distress due to their developmental age and emotional awareness [20,49].…”