[Parental Distress Caused by Child's Cancer Diagnosis]. / Belastungserleben von Eltern krebskranker Kinder.

INTRODUCTION: Considering that parental well-being influences the healing process of a child significantly, the relevance of psychosocial care of parents with children with cancer is obvious. Since the parental distress has hardly been studied in Germany, this study examines the burdens of parents of children with cancer. In addition, it provides a diagnostic tool that is used to standardize and facilitate the whole patient management. METHODS: n=213 parents have participated in the survey scheduled from September 2013 to September 2014 in pediatric oncology centers. The examination of parental distress was based on five burdens (namely "depression", "anxiety", "somatization", "posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)" and "obsessive-compulsive"). Moreover, confirmatory factor analyzes were calculated which form the basis of the tools. RESULTS: 42% of parents show above-average depression scores (z>1), 56,7% above-average anxiety scores, 30,6% above-average obsessive-compulsive scores, 17,4% above-average PTSD scores and 25,9% above-average somatization scores. The confirmatory factor analyzes provide evidence for a dimensional factor model and a second-order factor model. DISCUSSION: The results show that parents of children with cancer in Germany represent a risk group in terms of developing their own mental health problems.

[Psychosocial services in pediatric oncology. Results of a country-wide survey]. / Die psychosozialen Dienste in der pädiatrischen Onkologie. Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Umfrage.

8 years after the beginning of a german state financed project concerning the psychosocial care of children with cancer and their families 52 german children's oncology units were asked about their present psychosocial staff. The situation of psychosocial care in children with cancer is very good, as most of the staff are employed on a long term basis, financed by the german health insurance companies.

[Between heaven and hell - children's emotional perception of stemcell transplantation]. / Zwischen Himmel und Hölle - wie Kinder die Extremsituation der Stammzelltransplantation erleben.

The following paper is the manuscript of an oral presentation during the annual GPOH meeting on May 22nd, 2000 in Berlin. Following her experiences as a member of the psychosocial care team of a children's cancer unit the author discusses the emotional impact of stemcell or bone marrow transplantation in children. Psychosocial care is identified as a way to support children emotionally during a situation of existential crisis, and to help them share their inner feelings and experiences.

[Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of psychosocial care for patients in pediatric oncology and hematology--a multicenter study on behalf of the PSAPOH]. / Quantitative und qualitative Erfassung patientenbezogener psychosozialer Tätigkeiten in der pädiatrischen Onkologie und Hämatologie--Eine multizentrische Untersuchung im Auftrag der PSAPOH.

Due to the ongoing activities to introduce the Disease Related Groups into the German health system, the PSAPOH (Psychosocial Working Group of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology) has initiated a multicenter study to evaluate relevant parameters regarding the amount of psychosocial care in children and adolescents suffering from malignant diseases. This study was performed in 26 German hospitals over three months and evaluated the kind of psychosocial interventions, their duration and frequency and, in addition, their quality. The data collected were evaluated according to the diagnosis, the phase of disease when collecting the data, the psychosocial diagnosis and the grade of risk for psychosocial strain (standard strain [S], multidimensional strain [M] and extreme strain [H]). The results showed no significant differences comparing the amount of psychosocial care within the various kinds of hematological-oncological diseases. But, as expected, a significant and statistically proven increase of the frequency and duration of psychosocial treatment was found according to the stage of the disease and the psychosocial strain. The frequency of treatment is increasing up to 70 % comparing groups with standard strain to groups with extreme strain. Summarizing the amount of psychosocial care within the different phases of disease, a calculation of costs will be possible for each patient.