Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-11T09:37:09.009Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A psychosocial cancer phone center staffed by professional psychologists as an integral part of the standard process of care: Its utility during the course of illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 September 2010

Paola Arnaboldi ,
Francesca N. Lupo ,
Luigi Santoro ,
Luigia Rubio ,
Angela Tenore ,
Ilaria Solinas ,
Fabrizio Delle Grotti ,
Vito Ferri ,
Nicasia Teresi  and
Stefano Zurrida
...Show all authors
Paola Arnaboldi*
Affiliation:
Psycho-oncology Unit, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
Francesca N. Lupo
Affiliation:
Psycho-oncology Unit, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
Luigi Santoro
Affiliation:
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
Luigia Rubio
Affiliation:
Senology Division, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
Angela Tenore
Affiliation:
Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center, Gigi Ghirotti National Foundation, Rome, Italy
Ilaria Solinas
Affiliation:
Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center, Gigi Ghirotti National Foundation, Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Delle Grotti
Affiliation:
Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center, Gigi Ghirotti National Foundation, Rome, Italy
Vito Ferri
Affiliation:
Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center, Gigi Ghirotti National Foundation, Rome, Italy
Nicasia Teresi
Affiliation:
Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center, Gigi Ghirotti National Foundation, Rome, Italy
Stefano Zurrida
Affiliation:
Scientific Director's Office, European Institute of Oncology, and University School of Medicine, Milan, Italy
Florence Didier
Affiliation:
Psycho-oncology Unit, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Paola Arnaboldi, Unità di Psico-oncologia, Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Via G. Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milano, Italia. E-mail: paola.arnaboldi@ieo.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

Major cancer centers cannot ignore psychosocial patient needs that have a significant impact on the process of adjustment to cancer and on compliance to treatments. We introduced a new service, the Gigi Ghirotti Psychosocial Cancer Phone Center (GGPCPC), staffed by professional psychologists, for use by our patients and their relatives. This article investigates its feasibility as a support delivery vehicle for patients in their follow-up phase, and also investigates patients' sense of abandonment related to their care setting.

Method:

A close collaboration was set up between GGPCPC psychologists and European Institute of Oncology (IEO) psychologists. Education and awareness sessions regarding the importance of such a source of psychological support were conducted by IEO psychologists with nurses, secretaries, and receptionists. IEO psychologists input monthly data, recorded on specific paper-tabs by GGPCPC psychologists for each call received by the phone center between March 2007 and March 2009, into a SPSS database.

Results:

Four hundred and thirty individuals contacted the center mainly to receive psychological support during their treatment phase, when they visited IEO for treatment sessions. Multiple indicators suggest that this telephone support program was feasible and provided support to a broad range of cancer patients. Patients seemed to prefer it to face-to-face psychological support during their treatment-phase.

Significance of results:

The GGPCPC was demonstrated to be an efficacious support and information delivery vehicle for patients and relatives during the illness course.

Keywords

Psychosocial cancer phone centerCancer help linePsychosocial cancer patient needsCancer illness courseProfessional psychologists
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , September 2010 , pp. 305 - 312
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Angst, J., Gamma, A., Gastpar, M., et al. (2002). Gender differences in depression. Epidemiological findings from the European DEPRES I and II studies. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 252, 201–209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aronson, J.K. (2000). Use of Telephone in Psychotherapy. New Jersey: Book-mart Press.Google Scholar
Arving, C., Sjodén, P.O., Bergh, J., et al. (2007). Individual psychosocial support for breast cancer patients: A randomized study of nurse versus psychologist interventions and standard care. Cancer Nursing, 30, E10–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berglund, G., Bolund, C., Gustafsson, U.L., et al. (1994). One year follow-up of the ‘starting-again’ group rehabilitation programme for cancer patients. European Journal of Cancer, 12, 1744–1741.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bottomley, A., Hunton, S., Roberts, G., et al. (1996). A pilot study of cognitive behavioural therapy social support group interventions with newly-diagnosed cancer patients. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 14, 65–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broadstock, M.J. & Hill, D. (1997). Evaluation and impact of promotion of a cancer helpline to cancer patients through their specialists. Patient Education and Counseling, 32, 141–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bucher, J.A., Houts, P.S., Glajchen, M., et al. (1998). Telephone counselling. In Psycho-oncology. Holland, J.C. (ed.), pp. 758–766. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Carlsson, M.E., Strang, P.M. & Lindblad, L. (1996). Telephone Help Line for Cancer counselling and cancer information. Cancer Practice, 4, 319–323.Google ScholarPubMed
Downe-Wamboldt, B.L., Butler, L.J., Melanson, P.M., et al. (2007). The effects and expense of augmenting usual cancer clinic care with telephone problem-solving counselling. Cancer Nursing, 30, 441–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ford, S., Lewis, S. & Fallowfield, L. (1995). Psychological morbidity in newly referred patients with cancer. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 39, 193–202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galdas, P.M., Cheater, F. & Marshall, P. (2005). Men and health help-seeking behaviour: literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 49, 616–623.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gotay, C.C. & Bottomley, A. (1998). Providing psychosocial support by telephone: What is its potential in cancer patients? European Journal of Cancer Care, 7, 225–231.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hagedoorn, M., Buunk, B.P., Kuijer, R.G., et al. (2000). Couples dealing with cancer: Role and gender differences regarding psychological distress and quality of life. Psycho-oncology, 9, 232–242.3.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, J., Maguire, P. & Pitceathley, C. (1995). Confiding in a crisis: Gender differences in patterns of confiding among cancer patients. Social Science and Medicine, 41, 1255–1260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hosmer, D.W. & Lemeshow, S. (2000). Applied Logistic Regression. New York: John Wiley & Sons.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iacovino, V. & Reesor, K. (1997). Literature on interventions to address cancer patients' psychosocial needs: What does it tell us? Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 15, 47–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jefford, M., Black, C., Grogan, S., et al. (2005). Information and support needs of callers to the Cancer Helpline, The Cancer Council Victoria. European Journal of Cancer Care, 14, 113–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marcus, A.C., Cella, D., Sedlacek, S., et al. (1993). Psychosocial counselling of cancer patients by telephone: a brief note on patient acceptance of an outcall strategy. Psycho-oncology, 2, 209–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marcus, A.C., Garrett, K.M., Cella, D., et al. (1998). Telephone counselling for breast cancer patients after treatment: A description of a randomized clinical trial. Psycho-oncology, 7, 470–482.3.0.CO;2-Z>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marcus, A.C., Garrett, K.M., Kulchak-Rahm, A., et al. (2002). Telephone counselling in psychosocial oncology: A report from the Cancer Information and Counseling Line. Patient Education and Counseling, 46, 267–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mermelstein, H.T. & Holland, J.C. (1992). Psychotherapy by telephone. A therapeutic tool for cancer patients. Psychosomatics, 32, 407–412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newell, S., Sanson-Fisher, R.W., Girgis, A., et al. (1999). The physical and psychosocial experiences of patients attending an outpatient medical oncology department: A cross-sectional study. European Journal of Cancer Care (England), 8, 73–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nijboer, C., Triemstra, M., Tempelaar, R., et al. (2000). Patterns of caregiver experiences among partners of cancer patients. Gerontologist, 40, 738–746.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poe, M.R. & DeVore, L.M. (1996). Using the telephone for cancer information. Cancer Practice, 4, 47–49.Google ScholarPubMed
Sandgren, A.K. & McCaul, K.D. (2003). Short-term effects of telephone therapy for breast cancer patients. Journal of Health Psychology, 22, 310–315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slevin, M.L., Terry, Y., Hallet, N., et al. (1988). BACUP - the first 2 years: evaluation of a national cancer information service. British Medical Journal, 297, 669–672.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Venn, M.J., Darling, E., Dickens, C., et al. (1996). The experience and impact of contacting a Cancer Information Service. European Journal of Cancer Care, 28, 149–157.Google Scholar
Walsh, S.M. & Schmidt, L.A. (2003). Telephone Support for Caregivers of Patients with Cancer. Cancer Nursing, 26, 448–453.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Welch, A.S., Wadsworth, M.E. & Compas, B.E. (1996). Adjustment of children and adolescents to parental cancer. Parents' and children's perspectives. Cancer, 77, 1409–1418.3.0.CO;2-4>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed