Predicting pediatric distress during radiation therapy procedures: the role of medical, psychosocial, and demographic factors.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to identify demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables that predict radiation therapy-related distress among pediatric patients with cancer.


METHODS
Seventy-nine children between the ages of 2 and 7 years were consecutively enrolled in the study. Radiation therapy-related distress was measured by rates of anesthesia, observed behavioral distress, and heart rate.


RESULTS
Younger age and higher observed behavioral distress predicted the use of anesthesia, higher baseline heart rate predicted lower initial observed behavioral distress, and prone treatment position was associated with increases in both observed behavioral distress and heart rate relative to baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
Modifiable treatment and psychological variables directly relate to pediatric radiation therapy-related distress. Implementation of developmentally appropriate and cost-effective interventions to reduce procedural radiation therapy distress is warranted.
Klosky
James L
JL
Division of Behavioral Medicine, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-2794, USA. james.klosky@stjude.org
Tyc
Vida L
VL
Tong
Xin
X
Srivastava
Deo Kumar
DK
Kronenberg
Mindy
M
de Armendi
Alberto J
AJ
Merchant
Thomas E
TE
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011584:Psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*