Open Access
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Laryngorhinootologie 2021; 100(S 02): S101
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1727895
Abstracts
Head-Neck-Oncology

Evaluation of distress-levels and general acceptance of psycho-oncologicalsupport in patients with head and neck cancer

Authors

  • V Kunz

    1   Universitätsklinik Leipzig, HNO-Heilkunde, Leipzig

  • G Wichmann

    1   Universitätsklinik Leipzig, HNO-Heilkunde, Leipzig

  • A Dietz

    1   Universitätsklinik Leipzig, HNO-Heilkunde, Leipzig

  • W Susanne

    1   Universitätsklinik Leipzig, HNO-Heilkunde, Leipzig
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Introduction Patients with head and neck cancer have a high prevalence of mental illness and an increased suicide rate. In this context, for successful certification of a head and neck cancer center psycho-oncological support for these patients is demanded.

Methods Retrospectively, distress thermometers of 68 patients were evaluated, which were handed out to the patients before panendoscopy. The mean values of the distress level as well as differences in gender, tumor localization, existing partnership and desire for psycho-oncological care were analyzed using the t-test for independent samples and ANOVA.

Results The mean value of all distress levels was 4.82 ± 2.48. Three out of 59 patients (5.1 % , 9 missing) asked for psycho-oncological care. Women had significantly higher distress levels (6.5 ± 2.17, p=.018). There were no gender-specific differences regarding desire for psycho-oncological care. There were no significant differences within the distress levels or desire for psycho-oncological care regarding existing partnership. Also, no differences can be found between oropharyngeal, oral and laryngeal carcinoma for these variables.

Conclusions The results show that there is a lack of demand for psycho-oncological care in patients with head and neck cancer. For psycho-oncological care, having positive effects from the patients, as well as their physicians point of view, strategies for the best possible care of these patients appear to be important and need to be implemented. For example, regular psycho-oncological rounds could help increase the demand and thus improve outcomes.

Poster-PDF A-1157.pdf



Publication History

Article published online:
13 May 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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