title: Psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan: A nationwide survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to clarify, using a nationwide survey, what is perceived as necessary knowledge and skills for psychologists involved in cancer palliative care in Japan, the expectations of medical staff members, and the degree to which these expectations are met.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a questionnaire survey of psychologists involved in cancer palliative care. A total of 419 psychologists from 403 facilities were asked to fill out the questionnaire and return it anonymously. Some 401 psychologists (89 males, 310 females, and 2 unspecified; mean age, 37.2 ± 9.5 years) responded about necessary knowledge and skills for psychologists working in cancer palliative care, the necessity for training, expectations at their current workplace, and the degree to which expectations are met.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 90% of participants responded that many kinds of knowledge and skills related to the field of cancer palliative care are necessary. Over 80% of participants indicated a necessity for training related to these knowledge and skills. Although more than 50% (range, 50.1-85.8%) of participants responded that such services as "cooperation with medical staff within a hospital," "handling patients for whom psychological support would be beneficial," and "assessment of patients' mental state" were expected at their workplace, fewer than 60% (31.4-56.9%) responded that they actually performed these roles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that many psychologists in cancer palliative care feel unable to respond to the expectations at their current workplace and that they require more adequate knowledge and skills related to cancer palliative care to work effectively. No other nationwide surveys have generated this type of information in Japan, so we believe that the results of our study are uniquely important.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences,University of Tokyo Health Sciences,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Kasumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences,Kitasato University,Kanagawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamitsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences,Kitasato University,Kanagawa,Japan.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.affiliation: Gunma Prefectural Cancer Center, Gunma,Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oba
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka University,Osaka,Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Shizuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine,Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine,Hyogo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kizawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D065126:Palliative Medicine; D011361:Professional Competence; D011584:Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Expectations at the workplace