title: A systematic qualitative analysis of psychoeducational interventions for depression in patients with cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether research-based recommendations can be made about the clinical management of depression in patients with cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reports of scientific studies, qualitative or quantitative systematic reviews of scientific studies, and practice guidelines published from 1980-2000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 36 pieces of evidence supported the conclusion that psychoeducational interventions benefit depressive symptoms. Evidence included two well-conducted meta-analyses and nine well-designed randomized clinical trials with large samples (N > 100). With regard to intervention content, 70% of behavior therapy studies and 66% of counseling studies drew conclusions that supported the hypothesis. In addition, 58% of studies that tested behavior therapy or counseling in combination with cancer education had positive results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence supports the conclusion that psychoeducational interventions reduce depressive symptoms in patients with cancer and that behavior therapy or counseling alone or in combination with cancer education is beneficial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses can select from a variety of educational, behavioral, and counseling techniques to prevent or manage depression in their patients.
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA, USA. AM_Barsevick@fccc.edu
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Barsevick
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haney
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome