Leeat Granek1, Ora Nakash2, Samuel Ariad3, Shahar Shapira4, Merav A Ben-David5,6. 1. School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Canada. 2. Dept of Social Work, Smith School for Social Work, Northampton, Massachusetts. 3. Department of Oncology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel. 4. Department of Gender Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel. 5. Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 6. Radiation Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore oncologists, social workers, and nurses' perceptions about the causes of their cancer patient's mental health distress. METHODS: The grounded theory (GT) method of data collection and analysis was used. Sixty-one oncology health care professionals were interviewed about what they perceived to be the causes of mental health distress in their patients. Analysis involved line-by-line coding and was inductive, with codes and categories emerging from participants' narratives. RESULTS: Oncology health care professionals were sensitive in their perceptions of their patients' distress. The findings were organized into three categories, namely, disease-related factors, social factors, and existential factors. Disease-related themes included side effects of the disease and treatment, loss of bodily functions, and body image concerns as causing patient's mental health distress. Social-related themes included socio-economic stress, loneliness/lack of social support, and family-related distress. Existential themes included dependence/fear of being a burden, death anxiety, and grief and loss. CONCLUSIONS: Oncology health care professionals were able to name a wide range of causes of mental health distress in their patients. These findings highlight the need to have explicit conversations with patients about their mental status and to explore their understanding of their suffering. A patient-centered approach that values the patient's conceptualization of their problem and their narrative to understanding their illness can improve the patient-provider relationship and facilitate discussions about patient-centered treatments.
OBJECTIVE: To explore oncologists, social workers, and nurses' perceptions about the causes of their cancerpatient's mental health distress. METHODS: The grounded theory (GT) method of data collection and analysis was used. Sixty-one oncology health care professionals were interviewed about what they perceived to be the causes of mental health distress in their patients. Analysis involved line-by-line coding and was inductive, with codes and categories emerging from participants' narratives. RESULTS: Oncology health care professionals were sensitive in their perceptions of their patients' distress. The findings were organized into three categories, namely, disease-related factors, social factors, and existential factors. Disease-related themes included side effects of the disease and treatment, loss of bodily functions, and body image concerns as causing patient's mental health distress. Social-related themes included socio-economic stress, loneliness/lack of social support, and family-related distress. Existential themes included dependence/fear of being a burden, death anxiety, and grief and loss. CONCLUSIONS: Oncology health care professionals were able to name a wide range of causes of mental health distress in their patients. These findings highlight the need to have explicit conversations with patients about their mental status and to explore their understanding of their suffering. A patient-centered approach that values the patient's conceptualization of their problem and their narrative to understanding their illness can improve the patient-provider relationship and facilitate discussions about patient-centered treatments.
Authors: Natasha Michael; Alex Gorelik; Ekavi Georgousopoulou; Merlina Sulistio; Patrick Tee; Katherine Hauser; David Kissane Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2022-05-25 Impact factor: 3.359