Psychosocial Care Research Articles

Knowledge and Attitude toward End-of-Life Care of Nursing Students after Completing the Multi-Methods Teaching and Learning Palliative Care Nursing Course

Introduction: This study aims to assess the palliative care nursing (PCN) knowledge and attitude of nursing students toward end-of-life care (EoLC) after completing the multi-methods PCN courses. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-and post-palliative survey was conducted. One hundred and sixty five nursing students from a faculty of nursing in Indonesia were enrolled, and knowledge and attitude were assessed using the palliative care quiz for nurses (PCQN) and the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying and Death (FATCOD). Paired t-test and ANOVA were applied in this study. Results: After being involved in the PCN course, the mean score of PCN knowledge of the students increased significantly (p < 0.001). According to sub-domain analysis, the knowledge increased significantly in pain and symptom management (p < 0.001) and not significantly in the domains of theory and principle of the palliative, psychosocial, and spiritual care (p = 0.053; p = 0.080). Moreover, students’ attitude toward EoLC also increased significantly (p < 0.001), and positive attitudes increased from 75.6% to 91.5%. According to the ANOVA test, knowledge in two different groups (witnessed dying people and GPA) is not statistically meaningful (FWDP (1158) = 0.817, p = 0.367; FGPA (2.158) = 1.143, p = 0.322). Similarly, attitudes toward EoLC in two different groups are not statistically meaningful (FWD (1158) = 0.971. p = 0.326, FGPA (1157) = 1.278, p = 0.281). Conclusion: PCN courses with multi-method learning and teaching are effective to increase PCN knowledge, particularly in pain and symptom management knowledge, and also effective in increasing the positive attitudes toward EoLC.

Abordaje enfermero del intento autolítico en adolescentes en el servicio de urgencias

Objectives: to analyse the role of professional Emergency Nurses regarding psychosocial care for adolescents with attempted suicide. Method: a narrative review was conducted in the Pubmed, Cinahl, Cochrane and Scopus databases, using free and controlled language, and establishing filters for publication data (last 10 years) and language (English and Spanish). Results: in total, 253 articles were retrieved, and 14 were finally chosen which met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Four categories were formed from the analysis of these 14 articles: interventions by Emergency nursing professionals, coping strategies for parents, prevention of relapses and, finally, the importance of training on mental health for Emergency nursing professionals. Conclusions: attempted suicide is still a stigmatized subject with poor visibility. There is lack of resources to offer quality care in mental health. Nursing professionals play a major role regarding the coping process of parents, who need support to guarantee the safety of their children. Undergraduate training on mental health must be improved, due to the limited current access to specialized training through mental health residency.

Integrating Psychosocial Care in the Management of Patients With Vascular Disease

Integrating Psychosocial Care in the Management of Patients With Vascular Disease

The complexity of precarious work in Territorial Psychosocial Care: critical reflection on the Brazilian context

RESUMO Este artigo propõe compreender, na perspectiva da Teoria da Complexidade, e por meio da reflexão teórica crítica, a precarização do trabalho enquanto realidade no mercado brasileiro do trabalho público da saúde e sua influência nos resultados de uma política pública baseada no paradigma teórico/ prático da Atenção Psicossocial Territorial. Traça uma possibilidade de problematização sobre o tema central, por meio dos princípios: sistêmico, hologramático, círculo retroativo, recursivo, autonomia/ independência, dialógico e o da reintrodução do conhecimento em todo conhecimento, propostos por Edgar Morin, diante das discussões e dos estudos realizados pelo Grupo de Pesquisa Vida e Trabalho sobre a precarização do trabalho e a saúde mental em campo concreto. Essa reflexão propõe-se a ser fonte de reconhecimento para os atores, sobre as causas reais da precarização, que derivam do modo de exploração do trabalho em saúde em estreitamente próprio da aplicação do receituário neoliberal em estados burocráticos autoritários situados na periferia do capitalismo dependente. A reflexão permitiu a compreensão do todo e das partes que constituem o problema, reconhecendo as causas reais da precarização, ao contrário da culpabilização dos trabalhadores da saúde mental, diante das condições insalubres, da jornada de trabalho e da insegurança sobre os direitos sociais e direitos trabalhistas.

A complexidade do trabalho precário na Atenção Psicossocial Territorial: reflexão crítica sobre o contexto brasileiro

ABSTRACT This article proposes to understand, from the perspective of Complexity Theory, and through critical theoretical reflection, the precarization of work as a reality in the Brazilian public health work market, and its influence on the results of a public policy based on the theoretical/practical paradigm of Territorial Psychosocial Care. It outlines a possibility of problematizing the central theme, through the principles: systemic, hologrammatic, retroactive circle, recursive, autonomy/independence, dialogic, and the reintroduction of knowledge in all knowledge, proposed by Edgar Morin, in view of the discussions and studies carried out by the Life and Work Research Group on the precariousness of work and mental health in a concrete field. This reflection is intended to be a source of recognition for actors on the real causes of precariousness, which derive from the way in which health work is exploited, which is closely related to the application of neoliberal prescriptions in authoritarian bureaucratic states located on the periphery of dependent capitalism. The reflection allowed the understanding of the whole and the parts that constitute the problem, recognizing the real causes of precariousness, which blame mental health workers, in the face of unhealthy conditions, working hours, and insecurity about social rights and labor rights.

A Qualitative Study to Understand the Nature of Abuse Experienced by Persons with Severe Mental Illness

Persons with Severe Mental Illness (PwSMI) living in the community are considered high-risk groups for victimization. However, the nature of violence experienced by PwSMI is not well understood in India, which limits the effectiveness of clinical interventions to prevent revictimization. The Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focused Group Discussion guides were developed, content validated, and pilot tested. A total of 27 KIIs and 5 focus groups were conducted with 14 PwSMIs, 19 experts, and 18 caregivers. Thematic analysis was done using Braun and Clarke's six stages of thematic analysis. The saturation of themes was determined using the Comparative Method for Themes Saturation (CoMeTS). Some of the themes and subthemes that emerged were (1) Physical Abuse (physical restraining, hitting, spitting), (2) Psychological Abuse (living in a controlling environment, criticized, neglected, scapegoated, symptomization of emotions and behavior),(3) Sexual Abuse (sexual assault, reproductive coercion, sexual exploitation), (4) Social Abuse (teased or labeled, social deprivation, abandonment, discrimination, and exclusion), and (5) Trauma in formal care (Coercive treatment practices, seclusion, negative attitude of staff, surreptitious prescribing of medicines, patronizing behavior). Abuse experienced by PwSMI has significant treatment and health care costs and an increased burden on families and society, so comprehensive psychosocial care and support are needed to prevent revictimization.

Evaluating a novel hospital-based online health community to address palliative and psychosocial care factors for chronically ill adolescent and young adult patients.

Chronically ill adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients experience barriers to accessing psychosocial care. AYAs who receive palliative and psychosocial care experience numerous benefits from these services. However, we still lack research investigating age-appropriate programs targeting AYAs' psychosocial needs that are delivered virtually and extend beyond the hospital setting. Streetlight is a palliative care program designed for chronically ill AYAs that offers the Streetlight Gaming League (SGL), an online health community (OHC) combining peer-based support, online gaming, and community events. We evaluated the usefulness, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of SGL through an assessment of chronically ill AYAs' lived experiences. We used a qualitative evaluation approach grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted with 9 chronically ill AYAs to elicit in-depth accounts of their lived experiences of using SGL. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on questionnaire data. Phenomenological data analysis, informed by hermeneutic analysis, was used to analyze interviews. AYAs reported positive experiences with SGL and valued the ability to engage in various content while having few participation expectations. They also described psychosocial benefits, including reprieve from illness, sense of community, and solidarity through mutual understandings and shared experiences. Findings highlight the usefulness and acceptability of a virtual palliative psychosocial care program for chronically ill AYAs. Findings also suggest the effectiveness of SGL and support using an OHC to meet the psychosocial needs of AYAs. This study can guide future programming and implementation of online palliative psychosocial care programs in other hospital settings, resulting in similar beneficial and meaningful experiences.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for immigrant and limited English proficient cancer patients.

Immigrants, particularly those who are less acculturated and limited English proficient (LEP), often lack access to culturally and linguistically appropriate psychosocial care in cancer survivorship. We sought to determine what psychosocial interventions are available for immigrant and/or LEP cancer patients and to assess treatment and patient factors that may correlate with better psychosocial outcomes for this population. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published through August 2022 of interventions conducted with immigrant and/or LEP cancer patients aimed at improving psychosocial outcomes (i.e., quality of life, depression, cancer-related distress, and anxiety). Using Covidence, a software program for systematic review management, four independent raters screened 16,123 records with a systematic process for reconciling disagreement, yielding 48 articles (45 studies) for systematic review and 21 studies for meta-analysis. Most studies were conducted with Spanish-speaking patients with breast cancer. Study participants (N=5400) were primarily middle-aged (mean=53years old), female (90.0%), and Hispanic (67.0%). The weighted average effect size (g) across studies was 0.14 (95% CI 0.03-0.26) for quality of life (18 studies), 0.04 (95% CI -0.08 to 0.17) for depression (8 studies), 0.14 (95% CI -0.03 to 0.31) for cancer-related distress (6 studies), and 0.03 (95% CI -0.11 to 0.16) for anxiety (5 studies). The interventions under review had small but beneficial effects on psychosocial outcomes for immigrant and LEP cancer patients. Notably, effect sizes were smaller than those found in previous meta-analyses of psychosocial interventions conducted in majority U.S.-born, non-Hispanic White, English-speaking cancer patient samples. More research is needed to identify key components and adaptations of interventions that benefit immigrant and LEP cancer patients to strengthen their effects for this growing yet underserved population.

Maternity Care Clinicians’ Experiences Promoting Infant Safe Sleep and Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ObjectiveTo explore the phenomenon of clinicians’ perceptions and experiences of promoting infant safe sleep (ISS) and breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. DesignDescriptive qualitative hermeneutical phenomenology of key informant interviews conducted as part of a quality improvement initiative. SettingMaternity care services of 10 U.S. hospitals from April through September 2020. ParticipantsTen hospital teams, including 29 clinicians. InterventionParticipants were part of a national quality improvement intervention focused on promoting ISS and breastfeeding. Participants were asked about challenges and opportunities promoting ISS and breastfeeding during the pandemic. ResultsWe identified four themes summarizing the experiences and perceptions of clinicians promoting ISS and breastfeeding in the COVID-19 pandemic: Strain on Clinicians Related to Hospital Policies, Coordination, and Capacity; Effects of Isolation for Parentsin Labor and Delivery; ReevaluatingOutpatient Follow-Up Care andSupport; and AdoptingShared Decision-Makingaround ISS andBreastfeeding. ConclusionsOur results support the need for physical and psychosocial care to reduce crisis-related burnout for clinicians to encourage the continued provision of ISS and breastfeeding education, particularly while navigating capacity constraints. Our findings also suggest that clinicians perceived that parents may require additional support to enhance potentially limited ISS and breastfeeding education. These findings may be used to inform approaches to parental and clinician maternity care support in future public health crises.

Rural Cancer Survivors' Perceptions of a Nurse-Led Telehealth Intervention to Manage Cancer-Related Distress.

To understand rural survivors' experiences of participating in a nurse-led telehealth visit designed to address cancer-related distress. 25 rural-dwelling, post-treatment adult survivors of head and neck cancer recruited from a cancer center clinic affiliated with an academic health system serving a rural catchment area in the southeastern United States. A descriptive multimethod approach using semistructured qualitative interviews and the Telemedicine Satisfaction and Usefulness Questionnaire. Three primary themes emerged from the qualitative interviews, related to trust, access to information, and technology barriers. Quantitative findings indicated high satisfaction with the nurse-patient relationship through telehealth and lower satisfaction with using telehealth equipment to connect to a visit. Despite facing technology barriers, rural cancer survivors prioritize speaking with an oncology certified nurse through telehealth. Although they may be willing to be open and vulnerable with an oncology nurse about their distress, rural survivors are less likely to accept a referral to another provider of psychosocial care. Nurses can incorporate warm handoffs to increase psychosocial referral uptake for rural survivors.

Bounce of caregivers expressed emotions on schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe type of mental illness that is both persistent and burdensome. Because they are under a lot of stress coping with caring for schizophrenia patients, family members of these patients often have a negative attitude and a wide spectrum of expressed emotion towards them. The quality of interaction patterns and the type of family ties among family caregivers and individuals with schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions are classified as an unfavorable family environment. [1] Large volumes of emotion directed directly at a person or within a family environment are referred to as “high expressed emotion.”One or more parents’ critical or emotionally over-involved attitudes and behaviors toward their schizophrenia offspring are referred to as expressed emotion. [2]. Any aberrant processes inside a family, such as conflict, communication problems, cold parenting, criticism, control, and excessive amounts of expressed emotions, are referred to as family dysfunction.. These could be risk factors for schizophrenia onset and maintenance. Schizophrenics who returned home to such a family were more prone to relapse than those who returned home to a family that expressed little or no emotion. While not on medication, returning to a high expressed emotion family resulted in a large rate of recurrence. [20] Family members of schizophrenia patients require psychosocial nursing care to assist them cope with their stress. [21]

COVID-19-related consultation-liaison (CL) mental health services in general hospitals: A perspective from Europe and beyond

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic posed new challenges for integrated health care worldwide. Our study aimed to describe newly implemented structures and procedures of psychosocial consultation and liaison (CL) services in Europe and beyond, and to highlight emerging needs for co-operation. MethodsCross-sectional online survey from June to October 2021, using a self-developed 25-item questionnaire in four language versions (English, French, Italian, German). Dissemination was via national professional societies, working groups, and heads of CL services. ResultsOf the participating 259 CL services from Europe, Iran, and parts of Canada, 222 reported COVID-19 related psychosocial care (COVID-psyCare) in their hospital. Among these, 86.5% indicated that specific COVID-psyCare co-operation structures had been established. 50.8% provided specific COVID-psyCare for patients, 38.2% for relatives, and 77.0% for staff. Over half of the time resources were invested for patients. About a quarter of the time was used for staff, and these interventions, typically associated with the liaison function of CL services, were reported as most useful. Concerning emerging needs, 58.1% of the CL services providing COVID-psyCare expressed wishes for mutual information exchange and support, and 64.0% suggested specific changes or improvements that they considered essential for the future. ConclusionOver 80% of participating CL services established specific structures to provide COVID-psyCare for patients, their relatives, or staff. Mostly, resources were committed to patient care and specific interventions were largely implemented for staff support. Future development of COVID-psyCare warrants intensified intra- and inter-institutional exchange and co-operation.

Developing tailored intervention strategies for implementation of stratified care to low back pain with physiotherapists in Nigeria: a Delphi study

BackgroundStratified care approach involving use of the STarT-Back tool to optimise care for patients with low back pain is gaining widespread attention in western countries. However, adoption and implementation of this approach in low-and-middle-income countries will be restricted by context-specific factors that need to be addressed. This study aimed to develop with physiotherapists, tailored intervention strategies for the implementation of stratified care for patients with low back pain.MethodsA two-round web-based Delphi survey was conducted among purposively sampled physiotherapists with a minimum of three years of clinical experience, with post-graduation certification or specialists. Thirty statements on barriers and enablers for implementation were extracted from the qualitative phase. Statements were rated by a Delphi panel with additional open-ended feedback. After each Delphi round, participants received feedback which informed their subsequent responses. Additional qualitative feedback were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The criteria for consensus and stability were pre-determined using percentage agreement (≥ 75%), median value (≥ 4), Inter-quartile range (≤ 1), and Wilcoxon matched-pairs test respectively.ResultsParticipants in the first round were 139 and 125 of them completed the study, yielding a response rate of 90%. Participants were aged 35.2 (SD6.6) years, and 55 (39.6%) were female. Consensus was achieved in 25/30 statements. Wilcoxon’s test showed stability in responses after the 5 statements failed to reach consensus: ‘translate the STarT-Back Tool to pidgin language’ 71% (p = 0.76), ‘begin implementation with government hospitals’ 63% (p = 0.11), ‘share knowledge with traditional bone setters’ 35% (p = 0.67), ‘get second opinion on clinician’s advice’ 63% (p = 0.24) and ‘carry out online consultations’ 65% (p = 0.41). Four statements strengthened by additional qualitative data achieved the highest consensus: ‘patient education’ (96%), ‘quality improvement appraisals’ (96%), ‘undergraduate training on psychosocial care’ (96%) and ‘patient-clinician communication’ (95%).ConclusionThere was concordance of opinion that patients should be educated to correct misplaced expectations and proper time for communication is vital to implementation. This communication should be learned at undergraduate level, and for already qualified clinicians, quality improvement appraisals are key to sustained and effective care. These recommendations provide a framework for future research on monitored implementation of stratified care in middle-income countries.

Psychosocial Experiences, Challenges, and Recommendations for Care Delivery among Partners of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

For women diagnosed with breast cancer, partners are consistently identified as the primary support person. Despite growing consensus about the psychosocial experience and unmet needs of cancer caregivers, limited evidence exists about strategies to offer partner-centered care across the cancer continuum. This study describes challenges endured by partners of breast cancer survivors (BCS), strategies implemented to manage these experiences, and recommendations for healthcare providers to inform targeted psychosocial care. Using convenience sampling, 22 partners of female BCS were recruited and completed semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis was used to code and synthesize findings. Participants described undergoing five experiences in their role as romantic partners: (a) assuming the role of caregiver, (b) becoming healthcare advocates for BCS, (c) connecting emotionally with the partner, (d) managing their own painful emotions, and (e) connecting with others for support. Experience-specific coping strategies and recommendations were identified. Romantic partners face multiple transitions across the cancer care continuum, which warrant investigation to sustain their well-being and active participation in illness management. Psychosocial interventions for this group will benefit from flexible implementation and attention to care delivery, mental health, and supportive/social needs.

Refugee Minors from Ukraine and their Families - First Experiences from an Intercultural Practice for Child and Adolescents Psychiatry and an Outpatient Clinic for Refugees/Hamburg

Due to the Russian invasion in Ukraine, many families were forced to flee to Germany, often having to leave relatives behind.The outpatient clinic for refugees at Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf coordinates the psychosocial and psychotherapeutic care for refugee minors from Ukraine in Hamburg. The intercultural practice for child and adolescents psychiatry offers on-site consultations for children and adolescents in camps in order to provide a low-threshold access to counseling and diagnostics. Diagnostic and therapeutic experiences to this point indicate the contribution of multifactorial stress to the development of symptoms in Ukrainian minors.The threat of war and displacement seems to be only one of many factors. Although there are some remarkable resilience factors for Ukrainian refugee children and adolescents in comparison to refugees from other countries of origin, the forced adaptation to living and studying conditions in Hamburg bears challenges for many. Additionally due to war experiences psychotherapeutic and psychiatric care is frequently needed. On Germany's side, there is a need for action to ameliorate the accessibility to the health care system for refugees and migrants. Support of therapists in this complex working field is thereby as important as advocacy for the needs of minor refugees in German society.

Should Outpatient Palliative Care Clinics in Cancer Centers be Stand Alone or Embedded?

Outpatient palliative care facilitates timely symptom management, psychosocial care and care planning. A growing number of cancer centers have either stand-alone or embedded outpatient palliative care clinics. In this "Controversies in Palliative Care" article, three groups of thought leaders independently answer this question. Specifically, each group provides a synopsis of the key studies that inform their thought processes, share practical advice on their clinical approach, and highlight the opportunities for future research. One group advocates for stand-alone clinics, another for embedded, and the third group tries to find a balance. In the absence of evidence that directly compares the two models, factors such as cancer center size, palliative care team composition, clinic space availability, and financial considerations may drive the decision-making process at each institution. Stand-alone clinics may be more appropriate for larger academic cancer centers or palliative care programs with a more comprehensive interdisciplinary team, while embedded clinics may be more suited for smaller palliative care programs or community oncology programs to stimulate referrals. As outpatient clinic models continue to evolve, investigators need to document the referral and patient outcomes to inform practice.

A NEw MOdel of individualized and patient-centered follow-up for women with gynecological cancer (the NEMO study)—protocol and rationale of a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundFollow-up programs for gynecological cancer patients are currently under revision. There is limited evidence that traditional follow-up and clinical examinations improve survival in an early-stage gynecological setting. Further, traditional follow-up programs fail to accommodate the patient’s need for psychosocial and sexual supportive care and to actively involve patients and their relatives in the follow-up process. Individualized programs may replace traditional routine follow-up with fixed intervals and length. Focusing on alarm-symptoms and self-reporting may ensure detection of recurrence while allowing a continuous attention to the patient’s well-being and return to daily life.In this study, a nurse-led, individualized, and need-based intervention with a specific focus on patient empowerment is tested against a standard physician-led model primarily focusing on the detection of recurrence.MethodsThe study is designed as a clinical, randomized trial conducted in one of four national onco-gynecological centers in Denmark. Patients with early-stage cervical or endometrial cancer are eligible for inclusion. The intervention group undergoes individualized, nurse-led follow-up supporting patient empowerment including repeated use of electronic patient-reported outcome measures (ePROMs) before each contact as a dialogue support tool. The follow-up contacts are mainly conducted by telephone. All project nurses attended a special training program before project start and are all well-educated and dedicated onco-gynecological nurses. The control group receives standard, physician-led, follow-up without use of ePROMs or specific focus on empowerment.The effect of the intervention is evaluated by questionnaires completed by patients at baseline (3 months after surgery) and 12, 18, and 36 months after surgery. Outcomes include empowerment using the Skill and technique subscale of the HEI-Q questionnaire as the primary outcome while fear of cancer recurrence and health-related quality of life as well as the remaining subscales of the HEI-Q represent secondary outcomes. Data is collected by use of the REDCap technology, which also provides a customized visual support function for the dialogue tool.DiscussionThis study will provide new information about follow-up in early-stage gynecological cancer settings and thereby contribute to improvement of future follow-up programs. Importantly, the study will provide knowledge about the impact of specific focus on patient empowerment in follow-up programs and, further, how to facilitate empowerment among patients.Trial registrationThe study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov: ID no. NCT03838861. Registered on 6 February 2019.Protocol version 2, issue date 21 November 2022.

Assessing the Family-Level Impact of Pediatric Food Allergy: Development of the PEACH Tool

Psychosocial care for food allergy is a top stakeholder priority and requires consideration of the patient and larger family system in pediatrics. A valid, clinically useful tool capturing the full range of FA impacts on children and families is needed. Here we describe item generation and content validation processes for a first draft of the Psychosocial Evaluation of Allergy on Caregivers and Households (PEACH).

A cancer survivorship model for holistic cancer care and research.

Advancements in cancer have increased survival rates leading to a paradigm shift such that cancer is considered a chronic disease, necessitating an evaluation of our understanding of cancer survivorship (CS). For this purpose, a comprehensive literature search was performed, using CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PUBMED from 2000-2021. Drawing from the concepts in the literature, salient factors that affect CS across cancer populations were identified and a proposed model was developed. This paper describes the Cancer Survivorship Model (CSM). The CSM represents predisposing factors for survivors and survivorship's acute, extended, and long-term phases, influencing factors: treatment and maintenance (medical/ psychosocial care), well-being, influencing aspects (life-changing experience, uncertainty, prioritizing life, wellness management, and collateral damage), and social relationship factors that impact survivors' symptom burdens and overall survivorship experience (health outcomes and quality of life). A case study demonstrates the CSM utility. Future application of the model holds promise for improving the quality of survivorship and informing research and clinical practice to promote and optimize survivors' outcomes throughout the evolving survivorship.

Screening versus multidimensional assessment of symptoms and psychosocial distress in cancer patients from the time of incurability.

Previous symptom prevalence studies show a diverse spectrum of symptoms and a large diversity in symptom intensities in patients being just diagnosed as having incurable cancer. It is unclear, how physical symptoms and psychosocial burden should be recorded in order to determine the variable need for palliative care and further support. Therefore, we compared two different strategies for detecting physical symptoms and psychosocial burden of patients with newly diagnosed incurable cancer and their effects on the further course of the disease. SCREBEL is a controlled, randomized, non-blinded, longitudinal study of the research network of the Palliative Medicine Working Group (APM) of the German Cancer Society (DKG). We compared: a less complex repeated brief screening for symptoms and burden in patients using the NCCN Distress Thermometer and IPOS questionnaire versus a multidimensional comprehensive assessment using the FACT-G and their entity-specific questionnaires, the PHQ4 scales, SCNS-34-SF, IPOS and NCCN Distress Thermometer. The primary study endpoint was quality of life (QoL), measured using FACT-G, after six months. Secondary study endpoints were QoL by using evaluation of secondary scores (NCCN DT, IPOS, PHQ4, SCNS-SF-34G) at time 6 months, the number of hospital days, the utilization of palliative care, emergency services, and psychosocial care structures. To assess effects and differences, multiple linear regression models were fitted and survival analyses were conducted. 504 patients were included in the study. 262 patients were lost to follow-up, including 155 fatalities. There were no significant differences between the low-threshold screening approach and a comprehensive assessment with respect to symptoms and other aspects of QoL. Using the IPOS, we were able to measure an improvement in the quality of life in the low-threshold screening arm by a decrease of 0.67 points (95%-CI:0.34 to 0.99) every 30 days. (p<0.001). Data on the involvement of emergency facilities and on supportive services were insufficient for analysis. A comprehensive, multidimensional assessment did not significantly differ from brief screening in preserving several dimensions of quality of life. These findings may positively influence the implementation of structured low-threshold screening programs for supportive and palliative needs in DKG certified cancer centers.DRKS -No. DRKS00017774 https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00017774.