Healthcare provider utility ratings of a psychosocial screening summary: from diagnosis to 6 months

Sharing psychosocial risk screening information with pediatric oncology healthcare providers: Service utilization and related factors

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial morbidity in pediatric oncology patients and their caregivers is widely recognized. Although routine systematic psychosocial screening has been proposed as a standard of care, screening is still limited. The present study assessed whether supplying the patient's treating team of healthcare providers with psychosocial risk screening information near diagnosis would increase the rate of documented psychosocial contacts, particularly for patients/families with elevated risk. The effect of demographic and clinical factors was also examined.

PROCEDURES

Ninety-three families with a child/youth newly diagnosed with cancer participated. Families were randomly assigned to a care as usual control group (n = 44) or an intervention group (n = 49) where the treating team was provided with a summary of family psychosocial risk, measured by the Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT). The PAT was completed by the primary caregiver, who also provided demographic information. The number of psychosocial intervention contacts documented in the medical charts was examined.

RESULTS

The rate of psychosocial intervention did not significantly differ between the groups (P > 0.05). The intensity of the child's cancer treatment was found to be the only significant predictor of the number of documented psychosocial intervention contacts (β = 0.396, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical factors appear to be more predictive of the rate of psychosocial intervention provided to pediatric oncology patients and their families than informing the treating team of family psychosocial risk. Additional research is required to address the gap between psychosocial risk screening, psychosocial intervention, and family outcomes.

Pilot randomized psychosocial trial of a screening intervention in pediatric oncology

OBJECTIVE

Psychosocial screening is a standard of care in pediatric oncology, but there is limited information about how to intervene after screening. This pilot trial aimed to determine feasibility of the novel Enhanced Psychosocial Screening Intervention (EPSI) and explore its preliminary efficacy outcomes. We examined rates of recruitment, retention, intervention acceptability, and monthly distress screening completion, as well as exploratory efficacy outcomes (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System: depression, anxiety and fatigue; distress thermometer, pain and sleep).

METHODS

Parallel-group randomized pilot trial: Caregiver-youth (10-17 years at enrollment, newly diagnosed with cancer) dyads were randomly allocated to either EPSI or standard care with 1:1 ratio allocation. EPSI consists of having a Psychosocial Navigator who shares screening results conducted near diagnosis and monthly for one year with treating teams and families, and provides recommendations tailored to screening results.

RESULTS

Enrollment rate was 54% (38 dyads); retention was 90% and acceptability 86% (caregivers) and 76% (youth). Exploratory symptoms of depression, anxiety, distress and fatigue outcomes consistently improved mainly for caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest EPSI is feasible and acceptable and exploratory mental and physical efficacy outcomes are promising for use in a future confirmatory multisite efficacy trial.

Quality of life in pediatric oncology patients, caregivers and siblings after psychosocial screening: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated whether conducting psychosocial screening using a validated measure (the Psychosocial Assessment Tool, PAT) and providing a summary of PAT results to the patient's treating team improves quality of life (QOL) in newly diagnosed patients with cancer, their caregivers and siblings, in general, and in relation to the initial family psychosocial risk.

METHODS

Families were randomly allocated to an intervention (IG, treating team received PAT summary describing low, medium, or high psychosocial risk) or control group (CG, no summary provided to treating team) in two Canadian pediatric cancer centers. Caregivers (N = 122) of children newly diagnosed with cancer, patients (n = 36), and siblings (n = 25) completed QOL assessments at 2-4 weeks (T1) and 6 months post-diagnosis (T2). Caregivers also completed PAT and proxy QOL for patient and sibling.

RESULTS

In general, patient-proxy total QOL improved in IG compared to CG over time but only for high psychosocial risk patients (p < .05). Patient proxy cancer-related QOL improved over time regardless of group allocation; caregiver QOL also improved over time (ps < .05).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the benefits of psychosocial screening results only on proxy patient QOL outcomes with high psychosocial risk near diagnosis. Evaluating QOL benefits in pediatric oncology patients is critical for establishing the clinical value of psychosocial screening.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02788604 (REGISTERED WITH HTTPS://CLINICALTRIALS.GOV/CT2/SHOW/NCT02788604 ).