Annals of Oncology 15:1243-1249, 2004
© 2004 European Society for Medical Oncology
Recognition of distress and psychiatric morbidity in cancer patients: a multi-method approach
Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and distress among 189 consecutively recruited cancer patients upon admission to surgical oncology wards, and to investigate the recognition of distressed patients by medical staff.Patients and methods: Assessment consisted of a diagnostic psychiatric interview (SCID, DSM-IV), patient-reported distress using a standardised questionnaire (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and physicians' and nurses' estimates of patients' distress. Twenty-eight per cent of patients were assigned a psychiatric diagnosis, with adjustment disorder predominating.
Results: Surgeons accurately recognised marked distress in 77% of patients with a psychiatric disorder and nurses did so in 75%. Because of low specificity, the positive predictive value was only 39% in surgeons and 40% in nurses. However, recognition of distress translated into referral to the psychosocial liaison service for only a minor proportion of distressed patients.
Conclusions: Since a remarkable proportion of distressed patients remained unrecognised by the medical staff, only systematic screening of patients upon admission allows timely support to those who are most in need.
1 Psychosocial Care Unit, 4 Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Heidelberg; 2 Rhine Clinics, Heinrich Heine University Hospital, Düsseldorf; 3 Department of Internal Medicine II (General Internal and Psychosomatic Medicine), Medical University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
* Correspondence to: Dr M. Keller, Psychosocial Care Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 155, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Tel: +49-6221-562723; Fax: +49-6221-565250; Email: monika_keller{at}med.uni-heidelberg.de
Key words: cancer surgery, prevalence, psychiatric morbidity, psychosocial liaison service, recognition of distress, referral
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. Kirkova, D. Walsh, M. Russel, K. Hauser, and W. Lasheen Symptom Assessment in Palliative Medicine: Complexities and Challenges American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, February 1, 2010; 27(1): 75 - 83. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Girgis, S. Breen, F. Stacey, and C. Lecathelinais Impact of Two Supportive Care Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Quality of Life, and Unmet Needs in Patients With Nonlocalized Breast and Colorectal Cancers J. Clin. Oncol., December 20, 2009; 27(36): 6180 - 6190. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Vodermaier, W. Linden, and C. Siu Screening for Emotional Distress in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Assessment Instruments J Natl Cancer Inst, November 4, 2009; 101(21): 1464 - 1488. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Singer, J. Das-Munshi, and E. Brahler Prevalence of mental health conditions in cancer patients in acute care--a meta-analysis Ann. Onc., November 3, 2009; (2009) mdp515v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Pitceathly, P. Maguire, I. Fletcher, M. Parle, B. Tomenson, and F. Creed Can a brief psychological intervention prevent anxiety or depressive disorders in cancer patients? A randomised controlled trial Ann. Onc., May 1, 2009; 20(5): 928 - 934. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. J. Mitchell Pooled Results From 38 Analyses of the Accuracy of Distress Thermometer and Other Ultra-Short Methods of Detecting Cancer-Related Mood Disorders J. Clin. Oncol., October 10, 2007; 25(29): 4670 - 4681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|