Course of social support and associations with distress after partial laryngectomy
PURPOSE Social support has been shown to be positively associated with quality of life and adjustment after a cancer diagnosis. The present study investigates the course of social support up to one year after partial laryngectomy and its association with distress. DESIGN Longitudinal questionnaire study. SAMPLE A total of 428 patients after partial laryngectomy (mean age: 64, SD = 11, 91% male). METHODS Patients completed questionnaires before treatment (t1), one week after a partial laryngectomy (t2), 3 months (t3), and one year (t4) thereafter. Social support was evaluated at t2, t3, and t4 using a brief version of the Social Support Questionnaire. Distress was measured at t2, t3, and t4 …
Effects of stepped psychooncological care on referral to psychosocial services and emotional well-being in cancer patients: A cluster-randomized phase III trial
Objective Emotional distress in cancer patients often goes unnoticed in daily routine; therefore, distress screening is now recommended in many national guidelines. However, screening alone does not necessarily translate into better well-being. We examined whether stepped psychooncological care improves referral to consultation-liaison (CL) services and improves well-being. Methods In a cluster-randomized trial, wards were randomly allocated to stepped versus standard care. Stepped care comprised screening for distress, consultation between doctor and patient about the patient's need for CL services, and provision of CL service. Primary outcomes were referral to psychosocial services and em…
Factors associated with non-participation and dropout among cancer patients in a cluster-randomised controlled trial
We investigated the impact of demographic and disease related factors on non-participation and dropout in a cluster-randomised behavioural trial in cancer patients with measurements taken between hospitalisation and 6 months thereafter. The percentages of non-participation and dropout were documented at each time point. Factors considered to be potentially related with non-participation and dropout were as follows: age, sex, marital status, education, income, employment status, tumour site and stage of disease. Of 1,338 eligible patients, 24% declined participation at baseline. Non-participation was higher in older patients (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.1, CI: 0.6-0.9) and those with advanced disease …
Impact of socio-economic position on cancer stage at presentation: Findings from a large hospital-based study in Germany
We explored the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and cancer stage at presentation. Patients admitted to a university hospital for diagnosis and treatment of cancer provided data on their education, vocational training, income, employment, job, health insurance and postcode. Tumor stage was classified according to the Union International Contre le Cancer (UICC). To analyze disparities in the likelihood of late-stage (UICC III/IV vs. I/II) diagnoses, logistic regression models adjusting for age and gender were used. Out of 1,012 patients, 572 (59%) had late-stage cancer. Separately tested, increased odds of advanced disease were associated with post-compulsory education com…