[Interdisciplinary psychoeducational intervention by oncologists proved helpful for cancer patients]. / Psychoedukative Patientengruppen im Rahmen einer interdisziplinären Tumortherapie.

OBJECTIVES: We prospectively evaluated the effects of a six-session psychoeducational intervention held by medical doctors or psychologists in a German acute cancer center setting. METHODS: A cluster randomization was used to assign n=108 oncologic patients (55 female, 53 male; mean age=58.5) to the intervention or the control group. The self-rated amount of information about cancer-specific topics, quality of life (EORTC), coping (TSK) and anxiety and depression (HAD-S) were measured at the beginning of the intervention (t0) as well as two and four months later (t1). RESULTS: At t1 the level of information related to different aspects of cancer (p<0.01) and "emotional functioning" (EORTC; p<0.05) were clearly improved in the intervention vs. the control group. At t2 intervention group patients again showed an increased level of information (p<0.05) and more emotional stability (p<0.05). In addition, reduced rumination was seen in patients of the intervention but not the control group (TSK; p=0.01). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that even short interdisciplinary psychoeducational interventions can at least improve the level of cancer-related information while hardly denting the budget of any healthcare system.

[Structured patient education in oncology. A prospective study for implementing and effectiveness of interdisciplinary psycho-educational group intervention at a German university clinic]. / Strukturierte Patientenschulung in der Onkologie. Eine prospektive Studie zur Implementierung und Wirksamkeit einer interdisziplinären psychoedukativen Gruppenintervention an einer deutschen Universitätsklinik.

AIM: To identify the target group for a structured educational group intervention in an acute cancer care setting, and to prove its effectiveness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cancer patients were given an opportunity to join an educational group intervention lasting 3 weeks (consisting of six times 1 hour). The intervention consisted of two major components: health education and coping skills. Participating patients (intervention group; n = 51) and nonparticipants (control group; n = 57) were evaluated at the beginning, then 2 months and 4 months later by means of standardized questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30, TSK, HADS, Henrich's FTP). RESULTS: Lower social and educational status, nonurban residency, males, and unfavorable prognoses together with palliative treatment intention were found less frequently (p < 0.05) in the intervention group. In comparison to the control group, the intervention group patients were characterized by a significantly greater desire for information and by more treatment-related fear. Improvements in disease-specific knowledge, certain quality of life elements, and in coping occurred only in the intervention group. Increases in the incidence of depression were found only in the control group. CONCLUSION: Patients with a more favorable prognosis, and a higher social and educational status, are more likely to get structured educational group intervention in an acute cancer care setting. For this subset of patients this intervention proves effective. Its importance for the standard care of cancer should be further investigated.