Effectiveness of Complementary Supportive Interventions on Mental Health Issues in Pediatric Oncology Patients. A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Supportive interventions may decrease the psychological health issues, such as distress, anxiety and depression, experienced by pediatric oncology patients, and therefore, they could constitute a therapeutic option for this chronic disease. The aim of this systematic review was to sum up the current evidence from randomized control studies that examined the effectiveness of complementary supportive interventions on mental health issues in pediatric oncology patients. The Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases were meticulously searched. The initial search retrieved 468 studies, of which only 17 randomized controlled trials met the selection criteria. The primary outcome was symptom severity, in the manifestation of distress, anxiety and depression in children and adolescents under 19 years old with a diagnosis of cancer. Most (14 out of 17) studies reported statistically significant improvements in at least one of the examined psychological outcomes. These findings suggest that these integrative supportive therapies in children diagnosed with cancer can significantly improve and alleviate their main psychological manifestations of anxiety, distress and depression, thus facilitating diseases’ treatment, alleviating their psychological burden and asserting their claim to a normal life.