Psycho-oncology
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Understanding patient's perceptions about palliative care is necessary to make an effective referral. The aim was to develop and validate a measure of patient perceptions. ⋯ The PPCI is a four-factor, 37-item measure that assesses perceptions of palliative care held by patients with AC. The measure has good internal consistency, test-retest reliability and convergent validity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Social cognitive influences on physical activity participation in long-term breast cancer survivors.
Although physical activity is beneficial for breast cancer survivors, the majority do not meet public health physical activity recommendations. The purpose of this study was to test a social cognitive theory model of physical activity behavior in a sample of long-term breast cancer survivors using both self-report and objective measures of physical activity. ⋯ This study validates a social cognitive model for understanding physical activity behavior in long-term breast cancer survivors. Future studies should be designed to replicate this model in other breast cancer survivor populations, and the findings should be applied to the development of future physical activity programs and studies for this population.
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The Comfort First Program (CFP) provides children and their caregivers with early procedural pain management intervention to reduce procedural pain and distress. This study evaluated whether the CFP was meeting its goals and effectively implementing the Royal Australasian College of Physicians paediatric pain management guidelines. ⋯ The CFP was found to be effectively implementing procedural pain guidelines. Regular audit is recommended to ensure adherence to pain management standards.
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Comparative Study
Psychological distress in cancer patients with underage children: gender-specific differences.
Findings on gender differences in the psychological distress of cancer patients have been inconsistent. The objectives of the current study were to examine whether being a parent differentially modulates anxiety and depression in men and women and to compare whether psychological distress differs in male and female patients with and without children. ⋯ Even though our findings need to be supported in future investigations using larger sample sizes, they imply that male cancer patients with underage children are in particular need of psychosocial support.
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Understanding cancer patients' supportive care needs can help optimize health-care systems and inform services development. We therefore examined the prevalence of supportive care needs in Chinese breast (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients to identify prevalence and correlates of unmet needs. ⋯ Hong Kong Chinese BC and CRC patients strongly prioritized needs related to health systems and information provision. Symptoms and psychological distress were associated with unmet needs, reflecting a service shortfall in symptom management. Improving care provision by optimizing communication and clinic organization can better prepare cancer patients for their rehabilitation and improve symptom control.