Effectiveness of QUICATOUCH: a computerised touch screen evaluation for pain and distress in ambulatory oncology patients in Newcastle, Australia

Abstract

The QUICATOUCH assessment for pain and distress was implemented into usual clinical practice with reasonable coverage of patients for modest cost. It was effective in monitoring the patients over time, contributed to a reduction in pain and distress, whilst appropriately increasing the number of new patients reaching psychological treatment as part of the clinical service.

Measuring psychosocial functioning in the radiation oncology clinic: a systematic review

“…Physical symptoms also coincided with increasing psychosocial function decline associated with head and neck treatment weeks 3 and 4, including eating, speech, sexual, and dental problems . Similarly, pain was associated with psychosocial function decline consensually in four studies without being refuted. In summary, physical side effects are a well‐supported risk factor associated with psychosocial function decline.…”

Screening for depression and anxiety in women with breast and gynaecologic cancer: course and prevalence of morbidity over 12 months

“…Comparison of these data with similar studies is made difficult by differing methodologies and study compositions. One study of early breast cancer patients reported rates of CES‐D depression (≥16) as 40.9% around diagnosis and 27.8% 12 months later .…”

Which items on the distress thermometer problem list are the most distressing?

“…Oncology and haematology outpatients completed the DT, PL and other measures on a touchscreen computer (QUICATOUCH) prior to their oncology appointment. Details of the QUICATOUCH assessment and scoring algorithms have been described previously [18][19][20].…”