Assessment and treatment of psychosocial problems of the cancer patient

Abstract

A methodology for the systematic assessment and treatment of psychosocial problems of cancer patients was developed by a research team investigating the psychosocial impact of cancer on the adult patient. The assessment instrument is a structured problem-oriented interview designed to reveal a patient's self-report of 122 cancer-related psychosocial problems which was administered at several points during the course of a patient's disease. Psychosocial intervention was based on the results of this assessment and was delivered by “oncology counselors.” Actual contacts with the patient were recorded in a “Problem Oriented Record.” A case study is presented in order to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach to both psychosocial assessment and intervention with the cancer patient.