title: Utilization of psychosocial care and oncological follow-up assessments among German long-term survivors of cancer with onset during adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Survivors of pediatric cancer are at increased risk for medical and psychosocial late effects. This study retrospectively investigated the utilization of oncological and psychosocial care by former adolescent cancer patients (≥ 5 years since cancer diagnosis) in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on data of the German Childhood Cancer Registry (N=1 876 survivors of cancer with an age at diagnosis between 15 and 18 years), the study cohort comprised 820 survivors of adolescent cancer (time since diagnosis: M=13.7, SD=6.0, age at follow-up: M=30.4, SD=6.0 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Survivors of adolescent cancer completed standardized questionnaires measuring symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression and anxiety as well as items on their utilization of medical and psychosocial care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than a quarter (26.2%) of the survivors was no longer attending regular oncological follow-up assessments. Less than half of the survivors (44.4%) had received psychosocial care, mostly during their in-patient cancer treatment and their post-acute rehabilitation phase. Out of 184 survivors showing clinically relevant symptoms of posttraumatic stress, anxiety and/or depression at time of the study, 12.0% received psychosocial care and 13.6% took psychotropic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It should be studied further why only a small proportion of the survivors showing clinically relevant symptoms received psychosocial or psychopharmacological treatment. Systematic oncological follow-up assessments should take psychological late effects into greater account.
authors.affiliation: University Ulm, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, Ulm, Germany. ute.dieluweit@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dieluweit
authors.forename: D C M
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Besier
authors.forename: K-M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Debatin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grabow
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaatsch
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldbeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs