title: Troubles and hardships faced by psychologists in cancer care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify problems experienced by psychologists involved in cancer and palliative care and consider an education system for psychologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a questionnaire survey of psychologists involved in cancer care and palliative care. At the 403 facilities, 419 psychologists who received the questionnaire were asked to fill it out anonymously. A total of 294 people (61 male, 233 female, average age ± SD = 36.3 ± 9.4) responded about troubles and hardships actually faced by psychologists working in cancer care. We performed qualitative content analysis of free responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained the following five categories: 'Hospital system', 'Psychologist role and specialization (ambiguity of the role expected of psychologists and problems arising because psychologists are not nationally licensed)', 'Collaboration with other medical professionals (problems with the method of requesting psychologist cooperation and problems of consultation and liaison work within the hospital)', 'Specialized support provided by psychologists (difficulty of interaction with patients and their families, inadequate provision of psychological support in cancer care, problems related to death care and lack of psychiatric knowledge)', 'Stress faced by psychologists (psychologist's isolation and anxiety, psychologist's internal conflicts, psychologist burnout and helplessness and psychologist self-improvement)'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychologists must acquire at least a minimal level of medical knowledge and understanding of cancer treatment. Furthermore, they require training through specific case studies in order to facilitate collaboration with other medical professionals and concrete training in aspects of psychological support that are specifically tailored to cancer treatment through case studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, 1-15-1 Minami-ku Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan. iyumi@kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamitsu
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oba
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kizawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012380:Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires