Introduction: Despite the attempt to make decisions based on evidence, doctors still have to consider patients' choices which often involve other factors. In particular, emotions seem to influence the way that options and the surrounding information are interpreted and used. Objective: The objective of the present review is to provide a brief overview of research on decision making and cancer with a specific focus on the role of emotions. Method: Thirty-nine studies were identified and analysed. Most of the studies investigated anxiety and fear. Worry was the other psychological factor that, together with anxiety, played a crucial role in cancer-related decision-making. Results: The roles of fear, anxiety and worry were described for detection behaviour, diagnosis, choice about prevention and curative treatments and help-seeking behaviour. Results were inconsistent among the studies. Results stressed that cognitive appraisal and emotional arousal (emotion's intensity level) interact in shaping the decision. Moderate levels of anxiety and worry improved decision-making, while low and high levels tended to have no effect or a hindering effect on decision making. Moderating factors played an under-investigated role. Conclusions: Decision making is a complex non-linear process that is affected by several factors, such as, for example, personal knowledge, past experiences, individual differences and certainly emotions. Research studies should investigate further potential moderators of the effect of emotions on cancer-related choice. Big data and machine learning could be a good opportunity to test the interaction between a large amount of factors that is not feasible in traditional research. New technologies such as eHealth and virtual reality can offer support for the regulation of emotions and decision making.

Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women worldwide and still remains the leading cause of death in women in Italy. Although survival from this pathology has increased, this disease and its treatment can have lasting or delayed effects that can greatly affect a woman's quality of life. Primary and secondary prevention are currently the best strategies to combat this cancer: improved lifestyle, early adherence to screening, Breast Self-Examination (BSE), and even now the use of technology, have become among the most important tools to ensure increasingly early diagnosis of this disease, which is a major cause of suffering and premature mortality in women. Indeed, early diagnosis of the disease can lead to a good prognosis and a high survival rate. This study investigates the attitude of Italian women to perform clinical checkups aimed at cancer prevention, particularly adherence to free screening programs offered by the National Health Service (NHS) for women in the 50–69 age group. The knowledge, use and emotional approach toward BSE as a screening tool and the use of dedicated apps for this purpose are also investigated. Low adherence to screening programs, lack of BSE practice, and nonuse of dedicated apps are just some of the results observed in this study. Therefore, it becomes essential to spread the culture of prevention, cancer awareness and the importance of screening throughout life.

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Introduction: Aggression and violence in the workplace represent an ever-increasing psychosocial phenomenon and this can cause possible important repercussions for the entire treatment process. Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of using de-escalation techniques in the management the psychiatric patient’s aggressive actions. Methods: To conduct the following review, a research question was outlined using the PIO methodology. Subsequently, a narrative review of the literature was conducted, through the use of the PubMed and EMBASE databases. Results: From the review of the international literature, only three studies met our inclusion criteria Selected studies show that mental health workers react differently to violence. Some relate to patients by generating positive solutions, while others manage patients with coercive measures. The effectiveness of the use of de-escalation techniques in the management of aggressive actions and that both staff and patients aspire to achieve non-confrontational and social relationships while interacting in violent and threatening situations can be seen. Conclusions: De-escalation is the most effective technique only after careful knowledge of the patient, his pathologies and any prodromal signs and symptoms that may indicate the onset of aggressive behavior. Furthermore, it is more complicated with subjects having a previous history of aggression. However, the absence of adequate staff training emerges, which can guarantee the correct implementation of the intervention and which can make nurses safer in the management of aggressive action and of the violent patient.

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