Group support for patients with metastatic cancer. A randomized outcome study.
01 May 1981-Archives of General Psychiatry (American Medical Association)-Vol. 38, Iss: 5, pp 527-533
TL;DR: Objective evidence is provided that a supportive group intervention for patients with metastatic cancer results in psychological benefit and mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of this group intervention are explored.
Abstract: • The effects of weekly supportive group meetings for women with metastatic carcinoma of the breast were systematically evaluated in a one-year, randomized, prospective outcome study. The groups focused on the problems of terminal illness, including improving relationships with family, friends, and physicians and living as fully as possible in the face of death. We hypothesized that this intervention would lead to improved mood, coping strategies, and self-esteem among those in the treatment group. Eighty-six patients were tested at four-month intervals. The treatment group had significantly lower mooddisturbance scores on the Profile of Mood States scale, had fewer maladaptive coping responses, and were less phobic than the control group. This study provides objective evidence that a supportive group intervention for patients with metastatic cancer results in psychological benefit. Mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of this group intervention are explored.
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TL;DR: There is very little evidence to support the use of pharmacological treatment for cancer-related fatigue, with the possible exception of erythropoietin therapy for anaemic patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Abstract: A review of research into cancer-related fatigue undertaken since 1995 is presented. The manner in which such fatigue varies with cancer diagnosis, stage of disease and anti-cancer treatment is discussed, and the causes of cancer-related fatigue are categorized according to whether they are cancer-specific, common to other chronic illnesses or common to the general population. Interventions to alleviate fatigue are discussed in terms of whether they are pharmacological or non-pharmacological in nature. It is concluded that cancer-related fatigue is a common problem with a major impact on quality of life. It shares a common aetiology with other forms of fatigue. Graded aerobic exercise has been shown in randomized controlled trials to be an effective intervention in specific patient groups. Less direct evidence supports the use of psychological interventions, but there is very little evidence to support the use of pharmacological treatment, with the possible exception of erythropoietin therapy for anaemic patients undergoing chemotherapy.
60 citations
01 Jan 2006
TL;DR: This approach allows us to build upon the findings of several previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that also have focused on psychosocial and pharmacologic approaches to the management of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients.
Abstract: Anxiety and depression can be viewed as part of a broader construct of psychologic distress. We chose to focus on anxiety and depression rather than on psychologic distress for several reasons. First, the literature on anxiety and depression can be more readily identified than the literature on the broader and less well defined construct of psychologic distress. Second, as described in the following, criteria have been established for the diagnosis of clinical syndromes of anxiety and depression; no similar criteria exist for the diagnosis of clinical syndromes of psychologic distress. Third, as described here, this approach allows us to build upon the findings of several previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that also have focused on psychosocial and pharmacologic approaches to the management of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients.
59 citations
TL;DR: The reliability and validity of the Meaning in Life Scale and Uniscale were tested with 257 patients in long term care facilities in Montreal and the internal consistency of the responses to the 15 items and the stability of the measures over a two week period were at acceptable levels.
59 citations
TL;DR: The authors conclude that the prognosis for patients with ALD who receive liver transplantation is similar to that of non-alcoholics and that alcoholism is not a contraindication for liver transplants.
Abstract: The authors review the psychosocial aspects of transplantation. They first review psychosocial risk factors that place transplant patients at higher risk for noncompliance and negative outcomes. They then discuss what assessments should be included in a pretransplantation psychosocial evaluation. Go
59 citations
TL;DR: The men experienced significant depletion of energy, increased fear of cancer, interference with sleep and cognitive function, and sexual difficulties during and after treatment, and no significant differences in these measures were found between tumor types.
Abstract: Eighty-eight men with a diagnosis of either seminomatous or nonseminomatous testicular cancer were recruited for intensive psychosocial assessment by personal interview and psychological testing The interviews were conducted, on the average, 45 months after treatment had ended The men experienced significant depletion of energy, increased fear of cancer, interference with sleep and cognitive function, and sexual difficulties during and after treatment No significant differences in these measures were found between tumor types A small subset of patients continued to experience substantial difficulties in these areas The men's scores on psychological tests did not reflect significant levels of syrnptomatology in the sample as a whole
59 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of reward or reinforcement on preceding behavior depend in part on whether the person perceives the reward as contingent on his own behavior or independent of it, and individuals may also differ in generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement.
Abstract: The effects of reward or reinforcement on preceding behavior depend in part on whether the person perceives the reward as contingent on his own behavior or independent of it. Acquisition and performance differ in situations perceived as determined by skill versus chance. Persons may also differ in generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. This report summarizes several experiments which define group differences in behavior when Ss perceive reinforcement as contingent on their behavior versus chance or experimenter control. The report also describes the development of tests of individual differences in a generalized belief in internal-external control and provides reliability, discriminant validity and normative data for 1 test, along with a description of the results of several studies of construct validity.
21,451 citations
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01 Jan 1969
TL;DR: In this article, the implications of terminal illness for patients and for those involved in their care were discussed, and patients invited to talk about their experience found great relief in expressing their fear and anger and were able to move towards a state of acceptance and peace.
Abstract: Although most areas of human experience are nowadays discussed freely and openly, the subject of death is still surrounded by conventional attitudes and reticence that offer only fragile comfort because they evade the real issues. The dying may thus be denied the opportunity of sharing their feelings and discussing their needs with family, friends, or hospital staff. Although receiving devoted medical care, a dying patient is often socially isolated and avoided, since professional staff and students can find contact painful and embarrasing.
Aware of the strains imposed on all sides by this situation, Dr Kubler-Ross established a seminar at the University of Chicago to consider the implications of terminal illness for patients and for those involved in their care. Patients invited to talk about their experience often found great relief in expressing their fear and anger and were able to move towards a state of acceptance and peace. The seminar, initially composed of students of medicine, sociology, psychology, and theology, but later joined by hospital staff and relatives of patients, enabled many members to come to terms with their own feelings and to respond constructi to what the patients had to teach them.
5,220 citations
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TL;DR: A study of 800 outpatient visits to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles as discussed by the authors explored the effect of verbal interaction between doctor and patient on patient satisfaction and follow-through on follow-up.
Abstract: Study of 800 outpatient visits to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles to explore the effect of the verbal interaction between doctor and patient on patient satisfaction and follow-through on...
947 citations