title: Psychosocial services in the first 30 days after diagnosis: results of a web-based survey of Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examines what proportion of families of recently diagnosed pediatric cancer patients are offered recommended psychosocial services, and if that proportion is linked to size of institution or number of psychosocial staff.
  
  
  METHODS
  A web-based survey was offered to all institutions belonging to the Children's Oncology Group (COG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents from 127/212 (=59.9%) COG institutions provided information about percentage of families offered specific services within the first 30 days after diagnosis, and barriers to providing such services, as well as information about other factors that might affect their ability to provide psychosocial care. All sites reported that ≥50% of families are offered 21 of the 27 services investigated in this study. Over half of respondents (n=290) indicated that inadequate funding for staff (72%) and families' time constraints (63%) were barriers to providing psychosocial care. There was a positive relationship between the total number of psychosocial staff and the number of new patients seen annually (Pearson correlation=0.3409, P-value < 0.0004), but not between the total number of psychosocial staff and specific services offered. Most sites do not use validated assessment tools or evidence-based psychosocial interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While some version of most recommended psychosocial services are offered across COG institutions, evidence-based psychosocial services are offered at only 11% of sites. Advances in psychosocial outcomes in pediatric oncology could be accelerated by multi-site collaboration, use of standardized assessment tools, and evidence-based interventions.
authors.affiliation: Centerstone Research Institute, 44 Vantage Way, Nashville, TN 37228, USA. rebecca.selove@centerstone.org
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selove
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kroll
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coppes
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000078329:Workforce