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Evidence summaries

Psychosocial Counselling for Patients with Cancer

Counselling helps patients with cancer in terms of psychosocial adjustments in the months after diagnosis. Level of evidence: "A"

A systematic review 1 including 4 RCTs with a total of 548 subjects and 1 meta-analysis (422 patients) was abstracted in DARE. The overall results suggested that the interventions improved emotional adjustment (anxiety, depression, locus of control) as well as general quality of life. One study suggested that some patients suffered from some ill effects of counselling.

Another systematic review 2 abstracted in DAREincluding 116 studies found that more than 80% of patients showed a positive treatment effect for psychological well-being, depression, mood, physical well-being, vomiting, pain, and knowledge.

    References

    • The Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development. Psycho-social interventions in oncology: counselling services for women with breast cancer. Development and Evaluation Committee Report 1998;86:1-20. [DARE]
    • Devine EC, Westlake SK. The effects of psychoeducational care provided to adults with cancer: meta-analysis of 116 studies. Oncol Nurs Forum 1995 Oct;22(9):1369-81. [PubMed] [DARE]

Primary/Secondary Keywords