Screening for psychological distress in cancer care: prevalence and predictive factors among Italian patients using the Concerns and Help Identifier for Medical Patients Checklist.
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Psychological distress is highly prevalent among cancer patients. Although several scientific and professional organizations developed guidelines and tools for screening, implementation barriers in cancer care persist. Therefore, it seems to be critical to effectively introduce tools and triage systems that can identify patients' source of distress. The study aims to investigate prevalence and predictors of psychological distress experienced by a mixed sample of adult cancer patients using the Italian version of the Concerns and Help Identifier for Medical Patients (CHIMP_C) Checklist, in order to quickly detect distress.
Methods: In 2023, 240 adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at the Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" in Bari completed the Emotion Thermometers (ET) and the CHIMP_C Checklist. Socio-demographic and clinical factors were collected from medical records. Pearson and Spearman correlations, chi-square tests, and binomial logistic regressions were performed to investigate prevalence and predictors of psychological distress.
Results: Most participants were female (68.3%), with breast cancer being the most common diagnosis (28.7%). Our findings revealed a significant prevalence of distress (49.58%, with DT scores ≥ 5). Notably, emotional and personal concerns emerged as key predictors and risk factors for elevated ET scores.
Conclusion: The combined use of the CHIMP_C Checklist alongside the Emotion Thermometers (ET) could suggest a way for clinicians to identify multifaceted factors contributing to psychological distress in cancer patients during active treatment. This approach not only is focused on facilitating the initiation of timely psychological interventions but also can improve patient access to comprehensive therapeutic programs, thereby enhancing overall quality of care.
目的：心理困扰在癌症患者中非常普遍。尽管一些科学和专业组织制定了筛查指南和工具，但癌症治疗的实施障碍仍然存在。因此，有效地引入能够识别患者痛苦来源的工具和分诊系统似乎至关重要。本研究旨在利用意大利语版的医疗患者关注与帮助标识符（黑猩猩c）检查表，调查成年癌症患者心理困扰的患病率和预测因素，以便快速发现困扰。方法：2023年，240例在巴里市肿瘤研究所（instituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico， IRCCS） Giovanni Paolo II肿瘤研究所接受化疗的成年癌症患者完成了情绪温度计（ET）和黑猩猩c检查表（CHIMP_C Checklist）。从医疗记录中收集社会人口统计学和临床因素。采用Pearson和Spearman相关、卡方检验和二项logistic回归来调查心理困扰的患病率和预测因素。结果：大多数参与者为女性（68.3%），乳腺癌是最常见的诊断（28.7%）。我们的研究结果显示了显著的抑郁患病率（49.58%，DT评分≥5）。值得注意的是，情绪和个人担忧成为ET分数升高的关键预测因素和风险因素。结论：将猩猩c检查表与情绪温度计（ET）结合使用，可以为临床医生在积极治疗期间识别导致癌症患者心理困扰的多方面因素提供一种方法。这种方法不仅着眼于促进及时的心理干预，而且可以改善患者获得综合治疗方案的机会，从而提高整体护理质量。
期刊介绍：
Supportive Care in Cancer provides members of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and all other interested individuals, groups and institutions with the most recent scientific and social information on all aspects of supportive care in cancer patients. It covers primarily medical, technical and surgical topics concerning supportive therapy and care which may supplement or substitute basic cancer treatment at all stages of the disease.
Nursing, rehabilitative, psychosocial and spiritual issues of support are also included.
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