Experiences with a specific screening instrument to identify psychosocial support needs in breast cancer patients

Siedentopf, Friederike; Marten‐Mittag, Birgitt; Utz-Billing, I.; Schoenegg, Winfried; Kentenich, H.; Dinkel, Andreas

doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2009.10.014

Cited by 20 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…19,25,[28][29][30][31] In fact, in our study, younger age was associated with distress in all 4 ET domains (distress [p \ 0.04], anxiety [p \ 0.01], depression [p \ 0.01], and anger [p \ 0.04]), although these correlations were not large in magnitude. Nonetheless, these data show that breast cancer patients diagnosed at a younger age should be targeted for distress screening.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

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Screening for Psychological Distress in Surgical Breast Cancer Patients

et al. 2014

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Background. This pilot study assessed the levels of patient emotional distress and impact on clinic throughput time.Methods. From April through August 2012, 149 breast cancer patients at the Penn State Hershey Breast Center were screened with the emotions thermometer (ET), a patient-rated visual 0-10 scale that measures distress, anxiety, depression, anger, burden, and need for help. Also, patients indicated their most pressing cancer-related concerns. Clinic visit time was computed and compared with a control group. Results. Using a previously validated cut point C4 for any thermometer, we found emotional difficulty in the following proportions: distress 22 %, anxiety 28 %, depression 18 %, anger 14 %, burden 16 %, and need for help 10 %; 35 % scored above the cut point on at least 1 thermometer. We found higher levels of distress in all domains associated with younger age at diagnosis. More extensive surgery (bilateral mastectomy vs unilateral mastectomy vs. lumpectomy) was correlated with higher levels of psychosocial distress. Most often cited concerns, experienced by [20 %, included eating/weight, worry about cancer, sleep problems, fatigue, anxiety, and pain. Mean clinic visit time for evaluable patients screened using the ET (n = 109) was 43.9 min (SD 18.6), compared with 42.6 min (SD 16.2) for the control group (n = 50).Conclusions. Utilizing the ET, more than one-third of women screened met criteria for psychological distress. Younger age at diagnosis and more extensive surgery were risk factors. The ET is a simple validated screening tool that identifies patients in need of further psychological evaluation without impacting clinic throughput time.Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer among women, with as many as 1 in 8 women diagnosed in their lifetime. 1 It is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of death due to cancer among women. Nonetheless, diagnostics and therapeutics for breast cancer-similar to many kinds of cancer-have seen continuing improvements, leading to subsequent improvements in prognosis. Although improved prognosis often equals longer life, it does not necessarily equal improved morbidity. Therefore, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of quality of life. 2 The importance of addressing psychological distress in women with breast cancer has clearly been established. [3][4][5] In fact, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer has mandated that cancer centers implement screening programs for psychosocial distress as a new criterion for accreditation. 6 Yet, barriers to care remain, including underrecognition of the need for psychological care as well as possible inciting factors. Because most conventional scales developed to detect distress and depression are too long for routine use in clinical settings, simple verbal and visual-analog measures have been developed of which the distress thermometer (DT) is perhaps the most well known. [7][8][9][10] Although a significant advance in distress screening, the DT falls short in its ability...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…20 Schmid-Buchi et al 24 identified fatigue, menopausal symptoms, body image, fear of recurrence, anxiety, and depression as main concerns. Siedentopf et al 25 found that exhaustion/tiredness was rated highest by breast cancer patients in their study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Screening for Psychological Distress in Surgical Breast Cancer Patients

et al. 2014

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“…Of the 30 included studies, nine were conducted in Australia [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24], five in the USA [11,[25][26][27][28], four in Taiwan [29][30][31][32], three in the UK [33][34][35], three in Canada [36][37][38], two in the Netherlands [39,40], and one each in Sweden [41], Germany [42], Finland [43], and Singapore [44]. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the included studies.…”

Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Siedentopf [42] All types Basic Documentation for Psycho-Oncology (POBado) Need for professional psychosocial support was seen in 23 % of patients. During the stay, 13 % of women expressed a need for psychosocial support by themselves Exhaustion/tiredness was the item rated highest in the physical distress dimension.…”

Section: Characteristics Of the Selected Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of unmet needs of newly diagnosed older cancer patients undergoing active cancer treatment

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Springall

et al. 2012

Support Care Cancer

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“…Cancer treatment such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy and surgical intervention may have an adverse effect on patients' quality of life (QoL) (Montazeri, 2008) and may also indicate high risk for isolation, fear and underlying depression (Den Oudsten et al, 2010). According to the results of the long-term studies by Siedentopf et al, fatigue, anxiety, mourning and hopelessness are the major psychological stressors in cancer (Siedentopf et al, 2010). A number of longitudinal studies indicate that patients' social life and social environment has a significant impact on long-term progression of the disease (Garssen, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%