The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy
AIM: In our radiation departments, all patients received psycho-oncological support during RT and during follow-up. Based on the latter, the aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the role of tele-visits and in-person psychological support for cancer patients after RT, and to report a de...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Current Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/30/5/390 |
| _version_ | 1797600517349703680 |
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| author | Morena Caliandro Roberta Carbonara Alessia Surgo Maria Paola Ciliberti Fiorella Cristina Di Guglielmo Ilaria Bonaparte Eleonora Paulicelli Fabiana Gregucci Angela Turchiano Alba Fiorentino |
| author_facet | Morena Caliandro Roberta Carbonara Alessia Surgo Maria Paola Ciliberti Fiorella Cristina Di Guglielmo Ilaria Bonaparte Eleonora Paulicelli Fabiana Gregucci Angela Turchiano Alba Fiorentino |
| author_sort | Morena Caliandro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | AIM: In our radiation departments, all patients received psycho-oncological support during RT and during follow-up. Based on the latter, the aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the role of tele-visits and in-person psychological support for cancer patients after RT, and to report a descriptive analysis pointing out the needs of psychosocial intervention in a radiation department during radiation treatment. METHODS: According to our institutional care management, all patients receiving RT were prospectively enrolled to receive charge-free assessment of their cognitive, emotional and physical states and psycho-oncological support during treatment. For the whole population who accepted the psychological support during RT, a descriptive analysis was reported. For all patients who agreed to be followed up by a psycho-oncologist, at the end of RT, a retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the differences between tele-consultations (video-call or telephone) and on-site psychological visits. Patients were followed up by on-site psychological visit (Group-OS) or tele-consult (Group-TC) visit. For each group, to evaluate anxiety, depression and distress, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Distress Thermometer and Brief COPE (BC) were used. RESULTS: From July 2019 to June 2022, 1145 cases were evaluated during RT with structured psycho-oncological interviews for a median of 3 sessions (range 2–5). During their first psycho-oncological interview, all the 1145 patients experienced the assessment of anxiety, depression and distress levels with the following results: concerning the HADS-A scale, 50% of cases (574 patients) reported a pathological score ≥8; concerning the HADS-D scale, 30% of cases (340 patients) reported a pathological score ≥8, concerning the DT scale, 60% (687 patients) reported a pathological score ≥4. Eighty-two patients were evaluated after RT: 30 in the Group-OS and 52 in the Group-TC. During follow-up, a median of 8 meetings (range 4–28) were performed. Comparing psychological data at baseline (beginning of RT) and at the last follow-up, in the entire population, a significant improvement in terms of HADS-A, global HADS and BC was shown (<i>p</i> 0.04; <i>p</i> 0.05; and <i>p</i> 0.0008, respectively). Compared to baseline, statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of anxiety in favor of on-site visit: Group-OS reported a better anxiety score compared with Group-TC. In each group, a statistical improvement was observed in BC (<i>p</i> 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study revealed optimal compliance to tele-visit psychological support, even if the anxiety could be better controlled when patients were followed up on-site. However, rigorous research on this topic is needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:50:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fac032038dd84c12b82a6687784ec0e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:50:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fac032038dd84c12b82a6687784ec0e62023-11-18T01:02:11ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292023-05-013055158516710.3390/curroncol30050390The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received RadiotherapyMorena Caliandro0Roberta Carbonara1Alessia Surgo2Maria Paola Ciliberti3Fiorella Cristina Di Guglielmo4Ilaria Bonaparte5Eleonora Paulicelli6Fabiana Gregucci7Angela Turchiano8Alba Fiorentino9Radiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyRadiation Oncology Department, General Regional Hospital F. Miulli, Strada Provinciale 127, Acquaviva delle Fonti, 70021 Bari, ItalyAIM: In our radiation departments, all patients received psycho-oncological support during RT and during follow-up. Based on the latter, the aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the role of tele-visits and in-person psychological support for cancer patients after RT, and to report a descriptive analysis pointing out the needs of psychosocial intervention in a radiation department during radiation treatment. METHODS: According to our institutional care management, all patients receiving RT were prospectively enrolled to receive charge-free assessment of their cognitive, emotional and physical states and psycho-oncological support during treatment. For the whole population who accepted the psychological support during RT, a descriptive analysis was reported. For all patients who agreed to be followed up by a psycho-oncologist, at the end of RT, a retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the differences between tele-consultations (video-call or telephone) and on-site psychological visits. Patients were followed up by on-site psychological visit (Group-OS) or tele-consult (Group-TC) visit. For each group, to evaluate anxiety, depression and distress, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), Distress Thermometer and Brief COPE (BC) were used. RESULTS: From July 2019 to June 2022, 1145 cases were evaluated during RT with structured psycho-oncological interviews for a median of 3 sessions (range 2–5). During their first psycho-oncological interview, all the 1145 patients experienced the assessment of anxiety, depression and distress levels with the following results: concerning the HADS-A scale, 50% of cases (574 patients) reported a pathological score ≥8; concerning the HADS-D scale, 30% of cases (340 patients) reported a pathological score ≥8, concerning the DT scale, 60% (687 patients) reported a pathological score ≥4. Eighty-two patients were evaluated after RT: 30 in the Group-OS and 52 in the Group-TC. During follow-up, a median of 8 meetings (range 4–28) were performed. Comparing psychological data at baseline (beginning of RT) and at the last follow-up, in the entire population, a significant improvement in terms of HADS-A, global HADS and BC was shown (<i>p</i> 0.04; <i>p</i> 0.05; and <i>p</i> 0.0008, respectively). Compared to baseline, statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of anxiety in favor of on-site visit: Group-OS reported a better anxiety score compared with Group-TC. In each group, a statistical improvement was observed in BC (<i>p</i> 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study revealed optimal compliance to tele-visit psychological support, even if the anxiety could be better controlled when patients were followed up on-site. However, rigorous research on this topic is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/30/5/390radiotherapyoncologypsychological assessmenttele-consulttelemedicine |
| spellingShingle | Morena Caliandro Roberta Carbonara Alessia Surgo Maria Paola Ciliberti Fiorella Cristina Di Guglielmo Ilaria Bonaparte Eleonora Paulicelli Fabiana Gregucci Angela Turchiano Alba Fiorentino The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy Current Oncology radiotherapy oncology psychological assessment tele-consult telemedicine |
| title | The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy |
| title_full | The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy |
| title_short | The Role of Telemedicine for Psychological Support for Oncological Patients Who Have Received Radiotherapy |
| title_sort | role of telemedicine for psychological support for oncological patients who have received radiotherapy |
| topic | radiotherapy oncology psychological assessment tele-consult telemedicine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/30/5/390 |
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