Psycho-oncology
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Although it is important to achieve a good death in Japan, there have been no studies to explore factors associated with a good death. The aim of this study was to explore factors contributing to a good death from the bereaved family members' perspectives, including patient and family demographics and medical variables. ⋯ Withholding aggressive treatment and life-prolonging treatment for dying patients and appropriate opioid use may be associated with achievement of a good death in Japan.
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Comparative Study
Standardization of the Korean version of Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (K-Mini-MAC) scale: factor structure, reliability and validity.
Mental adjustment and coping affect the physical outcome and survival as well as quality of life in cancer patients. The Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale is a new refined, economical and reliable self-rating instrument measuring cognitive and behavioral responses to cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Mini-MAC in Korean cancer patients. ⋯ As a whole, the K-Mini-MAC was a reliable, valid and acceptable tool for Korean cancer patients. These findings can provide information about the cross-cultural validity of Mini-MAC scale's factor structure. Cultural differences were also discussed.
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It has been suggested that dealing with cancer is associated with increased stress and burnout in health-care professionals. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and burnout in surgeons working in the National Health Service (NHS), and the putative relationship between psychiatric morbidity, burnout and the amount of cancer-related work. ⋯ Levels of psychiatric morbidity, burnout and work dissatisfaction are worryingly high in colorectal and vascular surgeons and are likely to impact adversely on patient satisfaction and service quality. The number of surgeons intending to retire early is also a cause for concern both in terms of the overall number of trained surgeons in the NHS and in the balance between senior and junior surgeons. Apart from DP, these indicators of stress, however, were unrelated to cancer workload.
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The purpose of this study was to explore the symptom experience and predictors of distress and quality of life over time in women with recurrent breast cancer. Fifty-six women completed questionnaires at the diagnosis of recurrence, 1 month, 3 and 6 months after recurrence. A majority of women reported multiple, concurrent and distressing symptoms such as lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, pain, worry and problems with sexual interest or activity during the recurrent breast cancer trajectory. ⋯ Distress explained 44-46% of the variance in quality of life. These findings suggest that symptoms are important contributors to the distress experience, and that distress has a severe impact on quality of life. The care of women with recurrent breast cancer must be based upon the awareness of critical factors that exacerbate the vulnerability to distress throughout the disease trajectory.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Factors that influence cancer patients' and relatives' anxiety following a three-person medical consultation: impact of a communication skills training program for physicians.
No study has yet assessed the impact of physicians' skills acquisition after a communication skills training program on changes in patients' and relatives' anxiety following a three-person medical consultation. This study aimed at comparing, in a randomized study, the impact, on patients' and relatives' anxiety, of a basic communication skills training program and the same program consolidated by consolidation workshops and at investigating physicians' communication variables associated with patients' and relatives' anxiety. ⋯ No impact of the training program was observed. Results indicate the need to further study communication skills which may help reduce patients' and relatives' anxiety especially when breaking bad news.