The need for psychosocial support and its determinants in a sample of patients undergoing radiooncological treatment of cancer

2008

Abstract Objective The primary goal of this study was to examine the need for psychosocial support in a consecutive sample of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). Out of an initial sample of 250 patients, 239 patients could be assessed at the beginning of their RT. Two hundred eight patients were reassessed at the end of RT 4–8 weeks later. Methods Measures comprised the Hornheide Screening Instrument, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, the Resilience Scale, and the Short Form 12 as a measure of health-related quality of life (QoL). Medical and radiological data were continuously registered. Results Within the sample, the need for psychosocial support as reflected in the scree…