The distress screeners PHQ-9, GAD-7, and DT predicted the need for psychosocial support among cancer patients (ORs up to 1.15, 1.20, and 1.22 respectively), but did not predict actual utilization.
Observational (n=660)
Yes
Do distress screeners (DT, PHQ-9, GAD-7) predict the need, intention, and utilization of psychosocial support services in cancer patients?
Distress screeners (DT, PHQ-9, GAD-7) can predict the need and intention to seek psychosocial support in cancer patients, but not actual utilization.
Effect estimate: OR 1.22
p-value: p=<0.001
PURPOSE: In clinical cancer care, distress screening is recommended to identify highly burdened patients in objective need for psychosocial support to improve psychological distress and quality of life and to enhance patient empowerment. It is however unclear whether distress screeners are suitable for psychosocial care planning and thus whether they can predict the willingness that is need, intention, and utilization, to seek psychosocial support. METHODS: In a secondary analysis of a cluster intervention study, we assessed cancer patients with three distress screeners (DT, PHQ-9, GAD-7) at baseline. The willingness to seek psychosocial support services was assessed binary for psychosocial services at 3 and 6 months. Logistic regression models were applied to examine the predictive effect of the screeners on need, intention, and utilization. We corrected all models for multiple testing. RESULTS: The 660 patients included in the study were on average 60 years, 54% were male. At the 3- and 6-month follow-up, 353 and 259 patients participated, respectively. The screeners were best in predicting the need for support (OR reaching up to 1.15, 1.20, and 1.22 for the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and DT respectively). The intention was predicted by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, whereas utilization of psychosocial support services was not predicted by the screeners. CONCLUSION: The three distress screeners might be useful in psychosocial care planning, as they are able to predict the need and to some degree the intention to seek psychosocial support. Future research needs to examine potential barriers and supporting factors that may explain utilization of psychosocial support. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was retrospectively registered (2/2021) at ClinicalTrials.gov (number: NCT04749056).
Springer et al. (Mon,) conducted a observational in Cancer (n=660). Distress screeners (PHQ-9, GAD-7, DT) was evaluated on Need for psychosocial support (OR 1.22, p=<0.001). The distress screeners PHQ-9, GAD-7, and DT predicted the need for psychosocial support among cancer patients (ORs up to 1.15, 1.20, and 1.22 respectively), but did not predict actual utilization.