TY - JOUR
T1 - Depression assessment by oncologists and palliative care physicians
AU - Rhondali, Wadih
AU - Perceau, Elise
AU - Saltel, Pierre
AU - Trillet-Lenoir, Veronique
AU - Blay, Jean Yves
AU - Fournel-Federico, Cecile
AU - Coulon, Jean Pierre
AU - Tredan, Olivier
AU - Terra, Jean Louis
AU - Matillon, Yves
AU - Bruera, Eduardo
AU - Filbet, Marilene
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - Objective: Depression is a frequent problem in cancer patients, which is known to reduce quality of life; however, many cancer patients with depression are not treated because of the difficulties in assessing depression in this population. Our aim was to evaluate and improve the depression assessment strategies of palliative care (PC) physicians and oncologists. Method: We invited all medical oncologists and PC physicians from three cancer centers to participate in this multicenter prospective study. They were asked to classify 22 symptoms (related and specific to depression in cancer patients, related but not specific, and unrelated) as "very important," "important, " "less important," or "not important" for the diagnosis of depression in cancer patients, at three different time points (at baseline, after a video education program, and after 4 weeks). They were also asked to complete a questionnaire exploring physicians' perceptions of depression and of their role in its systematic screening. Results: All 34 eligible physicians participated. Baseline performance was good, with>70% of participants correctly classifying at least seven of nine related and specific symptoms. We found no significant improvement in scores in the immediate and 4-week follow-up tests. Additionally, 24 (83%) and 23 (79%) participants expressed support for systematic depression screening and a role for oncologists in screening, respectively. Significance of results: Oncologists had good baseline knowledge about depression's main symptoms in cancer patients and a positive attitude toward being involved in screening. Underdiagnosis of depression is probably related to problems associated with the oncology working environment rather than the physicians' knowledge.
AB - Objective: Depression is a frequent problem in cancer patients, which is known to reduce quality of life; however, many cancer patients with depression are not treated because of the difficulties in assessing depression in this population. Our aim was to evaluate and improve the depression assessment strategies of palliative care (PC) physicians and oncologists. Method: We invited all medical oncologists and PC physicians from three cancer centers to participate in this multicenter prospective study. They were asked to classify 22 symptoms (related and specific to depression in cancer patients, related but not specific, and unrelated) as "very important," "important, " "less important," or "not important" for the diagnosis of depression in cancer patients, at three different time points (at baseline, after a video education program, and after 4 weeks). They were also asked to complete a questionnaire exploring physicians' perceptions of depression and of their role in its systematic screening. Results: All 34 eligible physicians participated. Baseline performance was good, with>70% of participants correctly classifying at least seven of nine related and specific symptoms. We found no significant improvement in scores in the immediate and 4-week follow-up tests. Additionally, 24 (83%) and 23 (79%) participants expressed support for systematic depression screening and a role for oncologists in screening, respectively. Significance of results: Oncologists had good baseline knowledge about depression's main symptoms in cancer patients and a positive attitude toward being involved in screening. Underdiagnosis of depression is probably related to problems associated with the oncology working environment rather than the physicians' knowledge.
KW - Cancer
KW - Depression
KW - Depression assessment
KW - Depression screening
KW - Outpatients
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U2 - 10.1017/S1478951511000988
DO - 10.1017/S1478951511000988
M3 - Article
C2 - 22583756
AN - SCOPUS:84868452104
SN - 1478-9515
VL - 10
SP - 255
EP - 263
JO - Palliative and Supportive Care
JF - Palliative and Supportive Care
IS - 4
ER -