Psycho-oncology
-
We examined differences in distress levels and Distress Thermometer (DT) cutoff scores between different cancer types. The effect of socio-demographic and illness-related variables on distress was also examined. ⋯ Distress and cutoff score in prostate cancer patients were lower than in patients with other cancer types. Additionally, younger women and patients receiving treatment other than surgery only or 'wait and see' are at risk for higher distress. These results can help identify patients possibly in need of referral to professional psychosocial and/or allied health care.
-
The study aims to provide information about variance components of psychosocial outcomes: within and between-participant variance, within-participant correlation and for cluster randomised trials, the intra-cluster correlation (ICC) and, also, to demonstrate how estimates of these variance components and ICCs can be used to design randomised trials and cluster randomised trials. ⋯ Although the magnitude of variance components and ICCs used for sample-size calculation cannot be known in advance of the study, published estimates can help reduce the uncertainty in sample-size calculations. Psycho-oncology researchers should be conservative in their sample-size calculations and use approaches that improve efficiency in their design and analysis.
-
The health status and psychosocial well-being of multiple primary cancer (MPC) survivors are under-researched. ⋯ Multiple primary cancer survivors reported a poorer health status and, in general, experienced a greater negative impact of cancer on their psychosocial well-being than single primary cancer survivors.
-
Post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) have been identified as a meaningful indicator of distress in cancer survivors. Distinct from young adult survivors of childhood cancer, young people diagnosed with cancer as adolescents and young adults (AYAs) face unique psychosocial issues; however, there is little published research of PTSS in the AYA population. This study examines prevalence and predictors of PTSS among AYAs with cancer. ⋯ Post-traumatic stress symptoms were observed as early as 6 months following diagnosis and remained stable at 12-month follow-up. The development of early interventions for reducing distress among AYA patients in treatment is recommended.