title: The influence of patient reported outcomes on the discussion of psychosocial issues in children with cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigates the effect of using patient reported outcomes (PROs) about health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in clinical practice on the type and amount of psychosocial topics discussed during a paediatric oncology consultation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (N = 193) with cancer participated in a sequential cohort intervention study, with a control (no PRO was used) and intervention group (a PRO was used). For each child three consecutive consultations with the paediatric oncologist were audio recorded in order to assess the discussed psychosocial topics. One third of the audio recordings were qualitatively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The type of the discussed psychosocial topics in the control and intervention group did not differ from each other. However, the discussion of psychosocial topics increased in the intervention group compared to the control group. In both groups, topics within the social domain occurred most frequently and topics regarding the emotional domain had the lowest incidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PROs do not change the psychosocial content of communication. Paediatric oncologists already address psychosocial issues during the consultation, regardless of the use of a PRO. However, with a PRO available they address these issues more systematically and more often.
authors.affiliation: Psychosocial Department, Academic Medical Centre, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Engelen
authors.forename: Myra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Zwieten
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koopman
authors.forename: Symone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Detmar
authors.forename: Huib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brons
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egeler
authors.forename: Gert-Jan
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Kaspers
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grootenhuis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life