Outcome comparison of integrated psycho‐oncological care versus unstructured care—Results of a non‐randomised open‐label two‐arm trial

Objective To compare patients' experiences with a systematic, integrated psycho-oncological care (IC) model to experiences with "care as usual" (CAU). Methods To improve patients' knowledge about psychosocial support options and to facilitate use, an IC model was developed by psycho-oncologists and a health insurance company and implemented in one German cancer care facility. Using a parallel, non-randomised design, these patients' experiences were compared to CAU patients. In 2015, both patient groups received questionnaires 6-12 months post-inpatient treatment. Main outcomes were awareness, use and opinion of psycho-oncological care (PC) and anxiety level (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Sca…

Assessing Preferences in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Phase I and II of Questionnaire Development.

Shared-decision making for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is challenged by the difficulty to integrate the patient perception of value within the framework of a multidisciplinary team approach. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess the preferences of HNSCC patients with respect to the disease trajectory, expected treatment, and toxicities. In accordance with the standardized EORTC Quality of Life Group&rsquo

Multicenter prospective study on the use and outcome of rehabilitation after total laryngectomy in Germany

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the use and outcome of rehabilitation after total laryngectomy in Germany. Methods We enrolled patients who were scheduled for total laryngectomy, approached them again after surgery, after 3 months and 1 year. Patients completed questionnaires and were interviewed. Results Of 309 participants, 14% had not received any rehabilitation. Reasons for nonuse were primarily ongoing treatment and poor health. Users of rehabilitation had 4 times the odds of attaining any ability to speak compared to nonusers (odds ratio 3.8, P = .02). The main aim of rehabilitation from the perspective of the users was speech rehabilitation, mentioned by 71% before…

Quality of Life in Patients With Hypoparathyroidism After Treatment for Thyroid Cancer.

Abstract Purpose Surgical complications such as hypoparathyroidism (HPT) or vocal cord palsy are seldom assessed when the quality of life (QOL) in thyroid cancer patients is investigated. The aim of this study was to measure the QOL difference in thyroid cancer survivors with and without HPT. Methods Participants for this analysis were enrolled in 13 countries from a study that pilot-tested a thyroid cancer–specific QOL instrument. They were included if they had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer at least 9 months previously. QOL was measured using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core (EORTC QLQ-C30) and some items on HPT symptoms…

Investigation of superspreading COVID-19 outbreak events in meat and poultry processing plants in Germany: A cross-sectional study.

Since May 2020, several COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred in the German meat industry despite various protective measures, and temperature and ventilation conditions were considered as possible high-risk factors. This cross-sectional study examined meat and poultry plants to examine possible risk factors. Companies completed a self-administered questionnaire on the work environment and protective measures taken to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for the possibility to distance at least 1.5 meters, break rules, and employment status was performed to identify risk factors associated with COVID-19 cases. Twenty-two meat and poultry plants with 1…

What is the best time for psychosocial counselling from the perspective of cancer patients and their relatives? : A multi-centre qualitative study

Evaluation of the methodological quality of articles on autologous breast reconstruction

Abstract Background Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women worldwide. Autologous breast reconstruction may contribute toward restoring body image and improving quality of life after mastectomy. This systematic literature review describes differences in the quality and type of studies investigating autologous breast reconstruction techniques over time. Methods MEDLINE was searched for articles related to the surgical techniques, namely, TRAM, LADO, DIEP, and SGAP/IGAP, for the periods 1970 to 2007 and 2008 to 2010. The quality and type of studies were compared across the two time periods. Full-texts were evaluated according to prespecified quality criteria. Results The MEDL…

Participation in cervical cancer screening in Germany.