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Psychosocial Care and Wellbeing for Oncology Patients

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 3563

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: depression; mental health; cancer care; chronic disease, evidence-based healthcare, patient outcomes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: quality of care; health services; evidence-based practice; chronic disease; patient preparation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be difficult and overwhelming for patients. Depression and anxiety are often heightened among those with cancer, with meta-analytic data indicating that mood disorders are present in up to 38% of these individuals. A number of complex factors influence the psychosocial outcomes of people with cancer, including individual characteristics, disease and treatment characteristics (including side effects of treatment), social support, and quality of care provided (e.g., information provision and involvement in decision making). Despite significant investment in the psychosocial wellbeing of patients with cancer, the literature continues to identify gaps and needs in this area. This Special Issue welcomes the contribution of research seeking to identify and/or address the gaps in psychosocial care and wellbeing for people with cancer.

Dr. Breanne Hobden
Dr. Kristy Fakes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer
  • psychosocial
  • wellbeing
  • patient-centered care
  • health services

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1056 KiB  
Article
Mental Adjustment, Functional Status, and Depression in Advanced Cancer Patients
by Adán Rodríguez-González, Verónica Velasco-Durántez, Patricia Cruz-Castellanos, Raquel Hernández, Ana Fernández-Montes, Paula Jiménez-Fonseca, Oscar A. Castillo-Trujillo, Miguel García-Carrasco, Berta Obispo, Jacobo Rogado, Mónica Antoñanzas-Basa and Caterina Calderon
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3015; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043015 - 09 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1483
Abstract
Depressive symptoms are common in individuals with advanced cancer. Objectives. This study sought to analyze the relationship between physical and functional status and depressive symptoms, and to assess the role of mental adjustment across these variables in people with advanced cancer. Methods. A [...] Read more.
Depressive symptoms are common in individuals with advanced cancer. Objectives. This study sought to analyze the relationship between physical and functional status and depressive symptoms, and to assess the role of mental adjustment across these variables in people with advanced cancer. Methods. A prospective, cross-sectional design was adopted. Data were collected from 748 participants with advanced cancer at 15 tertiary hospitals in Spain. Participants completed self-report measures: Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) scale, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaire. Results. Depression was present in 44.3% of the participants and was more common among women, patients <65 years old, non-partnered, and those with recurrent cancer. Results revealed a negative correlation with functional status, and functional status was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Mental adjustment affected functional status and depression. Patients having a positive attitude displayed fewer depressive symptoms, while the presence of negative attitudes increased depressive symptoms in this population. Conclusions. Functional status and mental adjustment are key factors in the presence of depressive symptoms among people with advanced cancer. Assessment of functional status and mental adjustment should be considered when planning treatment and rehabilitation in this population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Care and Wellbeing for Oncology Patients)
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14 pages, 370 KiB  
Article
Perceived Provision of Perioperative Information and Care by Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Colorectal Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Alison Zucca, Elise Mansfield, Rob Sanson-Fisher, Rebecca Wyse, Sally-Anne Johnston, Kristy Fakes, Sancha Robinson and Stephen Smith
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15249; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215249 - 18 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
Background: Active patient participation in preparation and recovery from colorectal cancer surgery can be facilitated by timely information and care and may improve patient wellbeing and reduce hospitalizations; Methods: We aimed to identify gaps in perioperative information and care by asking colorectal cancer [...] Read more.
Background: Active patient participation in preparation and recovery from colorectal cancer surgery can be facilitated by timely information and care and may improve patient wellbeing and reduce hospitalizations; Methods: We aimed to identify gaps in perioperative information and care by asking colorectal cancer surgical patients to retrospectively report on their perceptions of care via a cross-sectional survey; Results: Overall, 179 (64% consent rate) patients completed one of two 64-item surveys exploring their views of ‘optimal care’ or their experiences of ‘actual care’. In total, 41 (64%) aspects of care were endorsed as optimal. Of these, almost three-quarters (73%) were received by most patients (80% or more). Gaps in care were identified from discrepancies in the endorsement of optimal versus actual survey items. Of the 41 items identified as representing ‘optimal care’, 11 items were received by fewer than 80% of patients, including the provision of information about the impact of surgical wait-times on cancer cure (69%); pre-habilitation behaviors to improve health (75%); the type of questions to ask the health care team (74%); impact of pain medications on bowel movements (73%); how to obtain medical supplies for self-care at home (67%); dietary or exercise advice after discharge (25–31%); and emotional advice after discharge (44%). Conclusions: These gaps represent patient-centered priorities and targets for supportive interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychosocial Care and Wellbeing for Oncology Patients)
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