Pilot study assessing distressors affecting patients with cancer using the distress screening tool.

Abstract

68 Background: Distress is a non-stigmatic description of emotional, physical, spiritual or psychiatric stressors experienced by patients (pts) diagnosed with cancer. We sought to determine the prevalence of distress in different cancer population of pts seen in our cancer center as they are commencing chemotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively examined data using the Distress Thermometer (DT) based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and assessed a single encounter on 240 consecutive patients undergoing their first chemotherapy session. Univariate associations were examined between specific problems and overall distress levels with a 2-tailed between-group t-test. Problem area scores were computed for each subject by taking the mean number of problems rated positive within each area, and associations between each problem area score and distress was examined using Spearman correlations. Results: Among the 240 patients in the sample, mean age was 60 ± 14, 61% were female, and 82% had solid tumors. The overall mean distress, based on the DT reading, was 3.6 ± 3.0. Specific problems reported by the largest number of patients included worry (n = 85), nervousness (n = 79), fatigue (n = 70), sleep (n = 66), and fears (n = 57). Of these, all but fatigue were significantly associated with global distress in univariate analysis. When mean problems per area were calculated, and correlated with global distress, each problem area (practical, emotional, family, physical) had a significant univariate association with global distress, with emotional problems having the highest correlation (r = .52, p < .0001). The only predictors with significant independent associations to predict global distress in the general linear model were emotional problems (p = .0001) and family problems (p = .0062), independent of age, sex and tumor types. Conclusions: In cancer patients undergoing distress screening as they receive their first chemotherapy, emotional and family problems appear to have the highest correlation with distress. Improvement of supportive care services geared towards the betterment of these symptoms is of paramount importance in improving outcomes.