title: Psychosocial outcomes of an electronic self-report assessment and self-care intervention for patients with cancer: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of Web-based technology to facilitate self-care and communication with health care providers has the potential to improve psychosocial outcomes for patients undergoing cancer treatment. This study reports an analysis of psychosocial outcomes of the electronic self-report assessment for cancer study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients starting cancer therapy were randomized to receive usual education about symptoms and quality of life topics (control) or usual education plus self-care instruction for symptoms and quality of life issues, communication coaching, and the opportunity to track symptoms and quality of life between clinic visits (intervention). Depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and social, emotional, and role functioning (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 subscales) were measured before treatment (T1), 3 to 6 weeks after starting treatment (T2), 2 weeks later (T3), and 2 to 4 weeks after treatment ended or at the next restaging visit for participants who continued to receive treatment (T4). Clinicians received summaries of participant reports at each time point in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariable analysis, the depression scores were significantly lower (P = .04) and there was a trend to higher social and role functioning (P = .07) in the intervention group compared with the control. Working status was significantly associated with lower depression and better social and role functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A patient-centered, Web-based intervention that facilitates self-care and communication can improve psychosocial outcomes in the cancer setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.|Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fann
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Fangxin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Phyllis F. Cantor Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Halpenny
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Traci M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Blonquist
authors.affiliation: Phyllis F. Cantor Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003142:Communication; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012648:Self Care; D057566:Self Report; D012647:Self-Assessment
keywords: cancer; depression; oncology; outcomes; psychosocial; quality of life