The usefulness and feasibility of a screening instrument to identify psychosocial problems in patients receiving curative radiotherapy: a process evaluation

Braeken, Anna P. B. M.; Kempen, Gertrudis I. J. M.; Eekers, Daniëlle; Gils, F. C. J. M. Van; Houben, Ruud; Lechner, Lilian

doi:10.1186/1471-2407-11-479

Cited by 35 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…These studies indicate that RT‐led ‘screening and needs assessment’ is feasible, improves communication with patients and increases RT knowledge of patient issues …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Such samples are insufficiently powered to detect small but meaningful effect sizes. Furthermore, only two studies incorporated control groups to enable assessment of intervention effect …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, global assessment of the usefulness of the SIPP varied across information items and time points. At 7 months post‐study commencement, RTs highly rated SIPP as useful to ‘contribute to discussion’, ‘quality of consult’ and ‘contribution to psychosocial discussions’, but these aspects were rated poorly at 13 months . Mitchell and Symonds reported that 43% of RTs rated screening with the ‘distress and emotion thermometers’ as useful.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reduced patient anxiety as a result of radiation therapist-led psychosocial support: a systematic review

et al. 2017

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Up to 49% of patients attending radiation therapy appointments may experience anxiety and distress. Anxiety is heightened during the first few visits to radiation oncology. Radiation therapists (RT) are the only health professionals in direct daily contact with patients during treatment, placing them in a unique position to explore patients’ psychosocial needs. This review aims to synthesise literature regarding the effect of RT‐led psychosocial support on patient anxiety. In May 2015, we searched the following electronic databases: Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, PubMed and Cochrane library. Radiation therapy‐specific journals were hand‐searched, and reference lists of identified studies searched. This review complies with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search identified 263 articles, of which 251 were excluded based on non‐English language, duplicate article or relevance. A total of 12 articles involving 1363 patients were included and categorised into three broad themes: ‘Patient Perspectives’ 3 articles, ‘Patient Information and Education’ 5 articles and ‘Screening and Needs Assessment’ 4 articles. Two publications referred to the same sample and data. Quality ratings were mixed, with one study rated ‘high’ quality, seven ‘moderate’ and four ‘low’. Methodological weaknesses were identified in relation to workflow, sample size and responder bias. RTs have a role in psychosocial support through increased communication and information sharing, which can benefit both patients and staff. RT‐led practices such as relationship building, patient education sessions and screening and needs assessments are feasible and can reduce anxiety.

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“…These studies indicate that RT‐led ‘screening and needs assessment’ is feasible, improves communication with patients and increases RT knowledge of patient issues …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Such samples are insufficiently powered to detect small but meaningful effect sizes. Furthermore, only two studies incorporated control groups to enable assessment of intervention effect …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reduced patient anxiety as a result of radiation therapist-led psychosocial support: a systematic review

et al. 2017

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“…They may also potentially foster improvements in well‐being and emotional status in patients with malignancy . These tools have also been used to facilitate earlier referral for specialist assessment, and have even been associated with favorable patient satisfaction results . If they are administered at planned intervals, they may also have the potential to preempt recall bias in patient responses over time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Utility and Feasibility of Extending Beyond Traditional Patient Descriptions in Daily Practice

et al. 2019

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Objectives/Hypothesis Institutional and national programs have endorsed the use of validated instruments in daily practice, but their utility for frontline clinicians is unknown. Our first objective was thus to determine if routinely obtained patient descriptions accurately predict disease‐specific validated instrument results. Our second objective was to assess the feasibility of deploying an electronic system to obtain and document patient‐reported descriptions of health status. Study Design Prospective assessment of consecutive eligible ambulatory care patients. Methods For the first objective, patients presenting with the same chief complaint at consecutive visits provided concurrent routine symptom descriptions and validated instrument responses. To determine whether patients’ routine descriptions predicted scores from disease‐specific instruments, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity/specificity, Spearman ρ correlation, and regression models were utilized. For the second objective, feasibility assessment focused on percent with successful response capture, time to questionnaire completion, and impact on physician time needed to obtain and document patient histories. Results For the first objective, among patients with hearing loss, eustachian tube dysfunction, nasal obstruction, and chronic rhinosinusitis, the areas under the ROC curves were 0.38 to 0.83. Spearman ρ coefficients were 0.25 to 0.46. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 15.9% to 87.8%, with correct classification in 42.3% to 55.2% of cases. For the second objective, there was a 91% completion rate. Completion times were 7:18 to 12:37 for new patients and 3:23 to 6:41 for established patients. Physician time savings were estimated at 11 minutes per patient. Conclusions Using validated instruments and electronic data collection systems in daily practice has practical and clinical implications. These topics warrant further study. Level of Evidence 2c Laryngoscope, 130:S1–S13, 2020

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“…There is however momentum building for multi-domain Screening for Distress, as the 6th vital sign globally. Twelve randomised trials that have examined screening for psychological problems (or wellbeing) divided in six concerning emotional complications and six involving QL and one that studied both domains (Table 4.1) (Maunsell et al 1996;Sarna 1998;McLachlan et al 2001;Detmar et al 2002;Velikova et al 2004;Mills et al 2009;Carlson et al 2010bCarlson et al , 2012Braeken et al 2011;Klinkhammer-Schalke et al 2012;Hollingworth et al 2012). For example, in one British study, 28 oncologists treating 286 cancer patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group who underwent screening along with feedback of results to physicians, a screen-only group who completed questionnaires without feedback and a control group with no screening at all (Velikova et al 2004(Velikova et al , 2010.…”

Section: Effectiveness Of Screening For Emotional Disorders In Clinicmentioning

confidence: 98%

Psychological Assessment in Psychopharmacology

Mitchell

Bultz

2014

Psychopharmacology in Oncology and Palliative Care

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A key element of supportive care is the reliable measurement of psychological health and psychosocial problems. This may include detection and measurement of frank psychiatric disorders as well as broader psychological symptoms and generalised distress. Many organisations have made recommendations for assessment of distress but despite the potential benefits uptake has been slow and evidence mixed. There is however momentum building for multi-domain screening for distress as the 6th vital sign. Psychosocial assessment can be pragmatically divided into screening, clinical assessment (case-finding) and assessment of adaptation and daily function. Screening for distress is designed to quickly ascertain which individuals in a large population need further assessment followed by specific additional care and intervention; however, the evidence base for screening needs to be improved. The target of screening may be mood disorders, distress, cognitive decline, unmet needs or a multi-domain approach. A multidimensional approach may be preferable and a multidimensional tool can be valuable as it can serve as a roadmap to a more effective way of addressing patient concerns in a timely way with appropriate referral to the right professional. Most forms of screening are seen as at least a slight burden to patients and clinicians. In some circumstances this burden can be significant and rate-limiting. Therefore screening implementation can be limited as much by acceptability as by accuracy. Screening for distress and/or psychological assessment should not be considered a one-off exercise but part of routine high quality

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The usefulness and feasibility of a screening instrument to identify psychosocial problems in patients receiving curative radiotherapy: a process evaluation

Cited by 35 publications

References 39 publications

Reduced patient anxiety as a result of radiation therapist-led psychosocial support: a systematic review

Reduced patient anxiety as a result of radiation therapist-led psychosocial support: a systematic review

The Utility and Feasibility of Extending Beyond Traditional Patient Descriptions in Daily Practice

Psychological Assessment in Psychopharmacology

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