Oncology social workers' involvement in palliative care: Secondary data analysis from nationwide oncology social workers survey.

OBJECTIVES: Social workers are vital in delivering psychosocial services in palliative care, yet their specific roles in palliative oncology remain undefined. This study aimed to delineate the current practice role of oncology social workers involvement in palliative care in the United States. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional design and involved secondary analysis of data from a nationwide survey focused on workforce conditions for oncology social workers. The participants were social workers who were directly involved in providing care to cancer patients and delivering palliative care services. They completed an online survey in which they indicated the relevance of 91 tasks related to their practice. The survey also collected individual demographic and work-related characteristics. Exploratory factor analysis was used to achieve the study objective. RESULTS: Responses from a secondary data set of 243 oncology social workers involved in palliative care results in a 6-factor solution comprising 34 tasks. These factors were identified as: Therapeutic Interventions for Individuals, Couples, and Families; Facilitate Patient Care Decision-making; Care Coordination; Assessment and Emotional Support; Organization and Community Service; and Equity and Justice. All 6 factors demonstrated good internal reliability, as indicated by Cronbach's alpha scores above 0.70. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The findings can be used to develop job descriptions and education for social workers employed in palliative cancer care. The clear role descriptions also make social work visible to other professionals in palliative oncology. By clarifying the roles of oncology social workers, this study contributes to the improvement of palliative care delivery and enhances interprofessional collaboration within cancer care teams.

Six months in: COVID-19 and its impact on oncology social work practice.

The extent to which oncology social workers (OSWs) are available and adapting to disruptions in service delivery throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown.Objectives: The purpose of this report is to outline the initial impact of COVID-19 on oncology social work practice during the first six months of the pandemic.Methods: As part of a nationwide investigation of workforce conditions for OSWs, three professional organizations surveyed their members to assess the effects of COVID-19 on changes to work hours, employment status, work setting, pay, and mode for patient contact (e.g., telephone or videoconference).Findings: Among 939 OSWs, 20% reported a reduction in work hours, and two-thirds indicated a temporary shift in work to home, with most patient contact occurring primarily via telephone or videoconference.Implications: Results speak to the essential nature of oncology social work and the need for evidence to inform OSW training and advocacy efforts for however long the pandemic continues.

Further Exploration of Treatment Response in Latinos with Comorbid Asthma and Panic Disorder: A Brief Report of HRV and ETCO2 as Potential Mediators of Treatment Response.

Heart rate variability (HRV) and end tidal CO2 (ETCO2) in relation to treatment response have not been studied in Latino populations or in comorbid asthma and panic disorder (PD). An extension of previously published research, the current study explored psychophysiological variables as possible mediators of treatment response. Latino treatment completers (N = 32) in the Bronx with asthma-PD received either Cognitive-Behavioral Psychophysiological Therapy (CBPT) or Music Relaxation Therapy (MRT). CBPT included HRV-biofeedback (HRVB); in-the-moment heart rate data to help an individual learn to influence his/her own heart rate. The sample was primarily female (93.8%) and Puerto Rican (81.25%). Treatment groups did not differ on demographics, except for less education in CBPT. The Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) assessed changes in symptoms. HRV and ETCO2 were measured at four of eight therapy sessions. Baseline ETCO2 and changes in HRV from first to last of psychophysiology sessions were investigated as mediators of change on ACQ and PDSS. Mixed model analyses indicated in the CPBT group, changes in both asthma control and PD severity were not mediated by changes in HRV. In the CBPT and MRT groups combined, changes in PD severity were not mediated by baseline ETCO2. These findings may be due to the brevity of HRVB in CBPT, multiple treatment components, ETCO2 not directly targeted, and/or unique physiological pathways in Latinos with asthma-PD.

Depression symptoms and quality of life among individuals with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) have high disease burden due to the severity of asthma and sinonasal symptoms. There is limited research on the psychological well-being and subjective experiences of patients with AERD. This study examined levels of depression symptoms, asthma-related quality of life and asthma control among AERD patients. METHODS: Thirty-two adults with AERD and 39 patients without AERD (asthma-only) were recruited from outpatient asthma/allergy clinics. The sample was largely comprised of ethnic minority, inner-city patients who ranged in age from 19 to 84 years old. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini AQLQ), a self-report rating of asthma severity and spirometry testing. Asthma control and severity were determined following national guidelines. RESULTS: AERD patients reported lower levels of depression symptoms (p = 0.049), better overall asthma-related quality of life (p < 0.001), and perceived their asthma to be less severe (p = 0.01) compared to asthma-only patients. However, clinician ratings of asthma severity were more severe for AERD than asthma-only patients (p = 0.006). No significant differences were found between the groups on asthma controller medications or oral corticosteroid bursts for asthma. CONCLUSIONS: AERD patients may be resilient given their low levels of depression symptoms and positive views of asthma-related impairment despite higher clinician-rated asthma severity. The adult onset nature of asthma in AERD might be a protective factor on mental health. Future studies should explore mechanisms linking AERD and positive psychological health outcomes and subjective perception of asthma.

Institutional capacity to provide psychosocial oncology support services: A report from the Association of Oncology Social Work.

BACKGROUND: This study reports cancer-treating institutions' capacity to deliver comprehensive psychosocial support services. METHODS: Oncology care providers at 60 cancer-treating institutions completed surveys assessing the capacity of their institutions to provide psychosocial care. Capacity was assessed with the Cancer Psychosocial Care Matrix (CPCM) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Scores represented individuals' perceptions of their cancer program's performance with respect to 10 fundamental elements of psychosocial care. RESULTS: Among 2134 respondents, 62% reported a mid-level capacity for ≥5 of 10 CPCM items. In comparison with other types of cancer programs (eg, NCI-designated, academic, or comprehensive centers), providers at community cancer programs reported a significantly greater capacity with respect to patient-provider communication, psychosocial needs assessment, and continuity in the delivery of psychosocial care over time. Nurses and primary medical providers reported a significantly lower capacity for linking patients and families with needed psychosocial services within their respective cancer programs. They also reported a significantly higher capacity for conducting follow-up, re-evaluations, and adjustments of psychosocial treatment plans. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer programs are performing moderately well in terms of communicating to patients the importance of psychosocial care, identifying patient psychosocial needs, and referring patients and families to psychosocial services. They are doing less well with respect to the provision of that care over time. Findings suggest that gaps in psychosocial service capacity are a function of patient, provider, and system characteristics. These results may be useful in formulating strategies to enhance psychosocial care delivery. Cancer 2016;122:1937-45. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Moral Distress Among Oncology Social Workers.

PURPOSE: Literature on moral distress among oncology social workers (OSWs) is sparse. The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of moral distress and its domains of influence, and to identify demographic and work-related characteristics associated with moral distress among OSWs. METHODS: Data came from the Oncology Social Work Competencies, Opportunities, Roles, and Expertise survey, conducted from August to September 2020 (during the COVID-19 global pandemic). Data collected included demographic information (eg, age, sex, and race) and work-related characteristics (eg, job position, organization type, work setting, employment status, salary, years in the profession, and OSW-C certification). Moral distress was measured using the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals. Tests of association, including multivariate linear regression, were conducted to achieve the research aims. RESULTS: Total moral distress scores on the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (range 0-432) for 745 OSWs ranged from 1 to 273, with an average score of 74.0. The three highest indicators of moral distress were observed in the patient or family experience domain. Higher levels of moral distress were associated with younger age, being a direct service provider, provision of inpatient cancer care, and more years in the profession. CONCLUSION: OSWs are experiencing moral distress. Institutional investments in professional education and support of OSWs are needed to mitigate and possibly prevent moral distress experienced by cancer care providers and thus ensure the delivery of quality psychosocial care for patients with cancer and their families.

Opportunities for Regulatory Changes to Promote Pediatric Device Innovation in the United States: Joint Recommendations From Pediatric Innovator Roundtables.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this report is to provide insight from pediatric stakeholders with a shared desire to facilitate a revision of the current United States regulatory pathways for the development of pediatric healthcare devices. METHODS: On August 5, 2020, a group of innovators, engineers, professors and clinicians met to discuss challenges and opportunities for the development of new medical devices for pediatric health and the importance of creating a regulatory environment that encourages and accelerates the research and development of such devices. On January 6, 2021, this group joined regulatory experts at a follow-up meeting. RESULTS: One of the primary issues identified was the need to present decision-makers with opportunities that change the return-on-investment balance between adult and pediatric devices to promote investment in pediatric devices. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Several proposed strategies were discussed, and these strategies can be divided into two broad categories: 1. Removal of real and perceived barriers to pediatric device innovation; 2. Increasing incentives for pediatric device innovation.

Development and implementation of a mobile device-based pediatric electronic decision support tool as part of a national practice standardization project.

Objective: Implementing evidence-based practices requires a multi-faceted approach. Electronic clinical decision support (ECDS) tools may encourage evidence-based practice adoption. However, data regarding the role of mobile ECDS tools in pediatrics is scant. Our objective is to describe the development, distribution, and usage patterns of a smartphone-based ECDS tool within a national practice standardization project. Materials and Methods: We developed a smartphone-based ECDS tool for use in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Value in Inpatient Pediatrics Network project entitled "Reducing Excessive Variation in the Infant Sepsis Evaluation (REVISE)." The mobile application (app), PedsGuide, was developed using evidence-based recommendations created by an interdisciplinary panel. App workflow and content were aligned with clinical benchmarks; app interface was adjusted after usability heuristic review. Usage patterns were measured using Google Analytics. Results: Overall, 3805 users across the United States downloaded PedsGuide from December 1, 2016, to July 31, 2017, leading to 14 256 use sessions (average 3.75 sessions per user). Users engaged in 60 442 screen views, including 37 424 (61.8%) screen views that displayed content related to the REVISE clinical practice benchmarks, including hospital admission appropriateness (26.8%), length of hospitalization (14.6%), and diagnostic testing recommendations (17.0%). Median user touch depth was 5 [IQR 5]. Discussion: We observed rapid dissemination and in-depth engagement with PedsGuide, demonstrating feasibility for using smartphone-based ECDS tools within national practice improvement projects. Conclusions: ECDS tools may prove valuable in future national practice standardization initiatives. Work should next focus on developing robust analytics to determine ECDS tools' impact on medical decision making, clinical practice, and health outcomes.