Psychosocial distress and desire for support among skin cancer patients - impact of treatment setting.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis and treatment of malignancies are frequently associated with a variety of problems for affected individuals and their relatives. In order to ensure adequate psycho-oncological and social care, it is recommended to routinely assess patients' psychosocial distress. While psychosocial services for inpatients have been expanded in recent years, the outpatient care structure in terms of psycho-oncological support is far from satisfactory, especially in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. We therefore set out to investigate the following questions: Does the need for psychosocial care vary in relation to (a) the treatment setting (inpatients vs. outpatients) and (b) the diagnosis? (c) Do patients experiencing psychological distress desire support?

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We asked both inpatients and outpatients to rate their psychosocial situation using the Hornheide Questionnaire. Patients were also asked about their desire for psychological support and the preferred contact person.

RESULTS: (a) The treatment setting had no impact on the need for psychosocial care and the desire for support. (b) Depending on the type of skin cancer, there were significant differences in the need for such care among the 251 patients surveyed. (c) Despite a certain discrepancy, there was a significant correlation between psychosocial distress (39.0 %; n = 98/251) and desire for support (14.3 %; n = 35/245). (d) Patients experiencing distress primarily chose physicians (n = 21) and psychologists (n = 20) as potential contact persons.

CONCLUSIONS: (1) In addition to the level of distress, the desire for support should be inquired. (2) Recommendations by physicians represent an important means of access to psycho-oncological services. (3) Services for outpatient support should be expanded.