Psycho-Oncology in Portugal: It is Different from the Rest of the World?

Abstract

Introduction

Psycho-Oncology (PO) is a specific psychiatric approach to cancer patients. The main psychiatric disorders observed are delirium and adjustment disorders (AD) and the most frequent treatments used are pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic.

With regard to the type of cancer, the most frequent in Portugal are breast, digestive and prostate.

Objective

Analyze the activity of PO in a district general hospital in Portugal.

Aims

Demonstrate that the main core in PO is similar in the world.

Methods

Prospective longitudinal study, during one year.

Results

The sample had 130 patients (369 evaluations), mainly male, with the mean age of 64.22 years. The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were delirium (56 cases; 43%) and AD (44; 34%) and the main interventions used were pharmacologic and psycho-education. The most common frequent cancers were digestive (54; 42%), urologic (16; 12%) and breast (15; 11%). This high frequency of urologic cancer was interpreted as a consequence of the sample and its geographic location, but it was also a reflection of the large number of requests made by this specialty. The majority of cancers had an advanced stage (84% vs 16%) that can be explained by the sample but also by health culture in Portugal, which is reflected in the inpatient services: Oncology (51; 39%) and Palliative Care (25; 19%).

Conclusions

The type of psychiatric disorders and treatments offered in PO is preserved around the world. The authors propose to do more studies, namely if the relation with others specialties affects psychiatric treatment of the patient.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.