Psycho-oncology
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This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence and correlates of supportive care needs in testicular cancer (TC) survivors. ⋯ The majority of TC survivors reported one or more unmet needs. Unmet needs regarding existential survivorship issues were frequently reported by TC survivors despite their favorable prognosis. Relationships unmet needs were less prevalent but still more common than in breast and gynecological cancer survivors. These findings appear to be related to the young age of TC survivors. As a higher number of unmet needs is significantly associated with psychological morbidity and impaired HRQoL, interventions addressing this constellation of issues are needed.
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Cancer survivors (CSs) are at risk of developing late effects (LEs) associated with the disease and its treatment. This paper compares the health status, care needs and use of health services by CSs with LEs and CSs without LEs. ⋯ The CS population with LEs comprises a particularly vulnerable group of survivors who have multiple health care problems and needs and who require tailored care plans that take account of LEs and their impact on health-related quality of life.
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This study aimed to (i) explore the prevalence and levels (severity) of anxiety and depression in family caregivers (FCs) of patients newly diagnosed with advanced lung cancer (stage IIIb or IV) before first treatment, and (ii) identify the factors related to FCs' anxiety and depression. ⋯ Family caregivers of patients newly diagnosed with advanced lung cancer had anxiety and depression before the patients' first treatment. We strongly suggest developing and testing interventions to reduce FCs' psychological distress and enhance their quality of life, thus ensuring better quality of patient care.
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This prospective and longitudinal study was designed to further our understanding of parental hope when a child is being treated for a malignancy resistant to treatment over three time points during the first year after diagnosis using a qualitative approach to inquiry. ⋯ For parents of children with a diagnosis of cancer with a poor prognosis, hope is an internal resource that can be present and future focused. These views fluctuated over time in response to changes in the child's well-being and disease progression.
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The results of studies concerning levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescent children with a parent suffering from cancer as compared with control groups or normative data are contradictory so far. Longitudinal designs using control groups are rare. No study explicitly exploring a broad range of risk behaviors in adolescent children with a parent suffering from cancer exists to date. ⋯ Results suggest that the somatic illness of the parent is not a developmental risk that is expressed in increased levels of juvenile risk behavior. Adolescents with a parent suffering from cancer adjusted generally quite well to the parental illness, although some individuals did show signs of severe strain.