Emotional support for cancer patients: what do patients really want?

Because being diagnosed with cancer is considered to be extremely stressful, cancer patients' mental adjustment has been widely studied. Previous studies have revealed that cancer patients' mental adjustment is correlated with the quality of life and the degree of psychological distress and have suggested that one of the most adaptive adjustments is 'fighting spirit' whereas one of the most maladaptive is 'helplessness/hopelessness'. However, little is known about the association between patients' mental adjustment to cancer and their spouses characteristics or social support network. This paper describes a study of cancer patients' characteristics and social support factors as predictors of the patients' responses to having cancer. A total of 455 ambulatory cancer patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale and participated in a structured interview about their characteristics and social support. The results of multiple regression analysis suggested that size of household, performance status, support from physicians and satisfaction with support were predictive of patients' fighting spirit, whereas age, education, size of household, performance status and satisfaction with support were predictive of helplessness/hopelessness.

show abstract

“…Slevin et al (1996) expressed the opinion that emotional support from physicians is the most important source of support for cancer patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of patients' mental adjustment to cancer: patient characteristics and social support

Akechi

Okamura²,

Yamawaki³

et al. 1998

Br J Cancer

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Patients regard information given by their doctors as being one of the most important types of emotional support (10). Several reports are critical of the amount and quality of patient information given (11)(12)(13) and others report that patients seek every conceivable kind of information, whether good or bad (14).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Meaning of Breast Cancer

et al. 2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…If information is given effectively, anxiety and side effects of treatment can be reduced, enhancing an individuals ability to cope with their illness (Ridgeway and Matthews, 1982;Slevin et al, 1996). Recognising and meeting the very specific information and support requirements at trial conclusion may be one way that on-going psychosocial support can be provided to trial patients and enable them and their families to cope better with trial conclusion.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A randomised controlled trial of nurse-managed trial conclusion following early phase cancer trial participation

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The effect of a nurse-managed intervention, for early phase cancer trial participants at trial conclusion, on psychosocial outcomes was evaluated at two cancer centres in the Midlands, England using a randomised controlled trial. It involved 117 patients who were participating in an early phase cancer clinical trial. It was a nurse-managed trial exit, which included a trial exit interview, trial feedback information leaflet and telephone follow-up compared with standard care at trial conclusion. Psychological distress at 1 week and 4 -6 weeks post-trial conclusion, patient's knowledge and understanding and patient's satisfaction were assessed. The results showed there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding scores for anxiety and depression at time one and time two. There is some suggestion that the intervention reduced anxiety from trial conclusion to follow-up (P ¼ 0.27). Patients in both groups felt they had contributed to cancer research through trial participation. However, intervention patients were more likely to feel that they knew how the trial was going (Po0.001), knew how other people in the trial were doing (P ¼ 0.001), had all the feedback they needed about the trial they took part in (Po0.01) and knew how they would be followed up (P ¼ 0.02). Patient satisfaction with the intervention was high (median score ¼ 4.5 where 5 is greatest satisfaction). In conclusion, nurse-managed trial conclusion led to positive outcomes for patients who had recently completed a clinical trial.

show abstract

Emotional support for cancer patients: what do patients really want?

Cited by 127 publications

References 18 publications

Predictors of patients' mental adjustment to cancer: patient characteristics and social support

Predictors of patients' mental adjustment to cancer: patient characteristics and social support

The Meaning of Breast Cancer

A randomised controlled trial of nurse-managed trial conclusion following early phase cancer trial participation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About