title: Prevalence, risk factors, and the desire for help of distressed newly diagnosed cancer patients: A large-sample study.
abstract: Beginning in 2007, all newly diagnosed cancer patients at the Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center (KF-SYSCC) were screened for psychosocial distress. Our social workers, as part of the psychosocial care team (PCT), have engaged in proactive outreach with patients identified as distressed. The goal of the present study was to assess the prevalence of psychosocial distress and the extent of contact between the PCT and distressed patients.
  
  
  
  Newly diagnosed patients who were treated at KF-SYSCC between 2007 and 2010 for cancer were eligible if there were at least 100 patients with the same type of cancer. Before treatment began, they were screened with the Pain Scale and the Distress Thermometer (DT) and had the option to specify a desire for help. The rates of distress were analyzed by cancer type and by probable related factors. Information regarding contact with the PCT was retrieved from computerized databases.
  
  
  
  Overall, some 5,335 cancer patients representing 12 major cancer types were included in our study. Of these, 1,771 (33.20%) were significantly distressed. By multivariate logistic regression, younger age, female gender, higher pain score, and disease stage, but not cancer type, were found to be associated with higher rates of distress. Among these distressed patients, 628 (36%) had some contact with the PCT.
  
  
  
  This Taiwanese study with a large sample size revealed a prevalence rate of psychosocial distress similar to rates found in Western countries. Contact with the PCT was established in only 36% of significantly distressed patients, despite a proactive outreach program. It is very important to have screening results made available in a timely fashion to the psycho-oncology team so that appropriate care can be offered promptly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ging-Long
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Tao
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Office of Epidemiology and Biostatistics,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: An-Chen
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work,Koo Foundation-Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center,Taipei,Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiu-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Desire for help; Distress; Psycho-Oncology; Psychosocial care team; Risk factors