title: E-counseling in psychosocial cancer care: a survey of practice, attitudes, and training among providers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the cancer setting, e-counseling interventions may be uniquely beneficial as they spare patients the cost and burden of traveling to a hospital or clinic for psychosocial care. However, the prevalence of e-counseling among psychosocial cancer care providers is unknown, as are the training needs with regard to e-counseling among this group of professionals. Thus, our group conducted an online professional training needs assessment with psychosocial cancer care providers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n=120) were recruited from the listservs of the Health Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, the Society of Behavioral Medicine-Cancer Special Interest Group, the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, and the Association of Oncology Social Work. All completed a 14-item online survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although 84% of participants stated that e-counseling could be important to their clinical work with cancer patients and survivors, 88% reported that they did not have the skills to effectively conduct e-counseling, and 81% reported that there were no adequate e-counseling educational opportunities. When asked about future training opportunities, participants reported a preference for online training versus live training (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the results highlight the need for online training programs in e-counseling for psychosocial cancer care providers. The training of psychosocial cancer care providers in e-counseling is a critical first step towards increasing implementation of e-counseling interventions and using the Internet to deliver effective interventions to cancer patients in need.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1425 Madison Avenue, Box 1130, New York, NY 10029, USA. julie.schnur@mssm.edu
authors.forename: Julie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schnur
authors.forename: Guy H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D037001:Directive Counseling; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D009518:New York; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration; D011594:Psychometrics; D017216:Telemedicine