[Need for psychosocial care in in-patients with tumour disease. Investigations conducted in a clinic specializing in tumour surgery].
BACKGROUND
Patients with tumour disease are in particularly stressful situation at all times. The aim of the present study was to find what proportion of patients on a surgical oncology ward would also benefit from psycho-oncological care.


METHODS
Within a period of 6 months (IIIrd and IVth quarters of 2004) 406 of our tumour patients were questioned with the aid of a method (Po-Bado) developed specifically for use with such patients.


RESULTS
According to this inquiry, it can be assumed that 41.4% of tumour patients are in need of professional psycho-oncological support. Patients who are in hospital for diagnostic procedures to confirm or exclude the suspicion of tumour disease have a greater need for such support (48.7%) than do patients who have been admitted for a scheduled operation (37.3%). Correlations were found between the need for this therapy and different disease situations. The prevalence of need was highest among patients with a second tumour, in whom it was 66.7%. The type of tumour disease also had an influence whether psycho-oncological care was indicated. The study revealed that patients with malignant soft-tissue tumours (49%) and patients with tumours of the upper digestive organs (48.7%) find the mental stress more difficult to cope with than patients who are in hospital for treatment of malignant skin tumours (31.8%) or malignant tumours of the mammary gland (38.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that an adequate psycho-oncologic diagnostic at the start of a stationary stay are reasonable. This is a precondition for a well-directed psycho-oncologic intervention in order to enhance the disease accomplishment but at the same time the target-oriented supply of psycho-oncologic care in hospitals is a limited resource.
Goerling
U
U
Klinik für Chirurgie und Chirurgische Onkologie, Charité Campus Buch, Robert-Rössle-Klinik im HELIOS-Klinikum Berlin-Buch.
Odebrecht
S
S
Schiller
G
G
Schlag
P M
PM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D010343:Patient Admission; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012803:Sick Role; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*