Psychosocial distress in outpatients with cancer: influence of demographic and medical factors on psychosocial distress and the perceived need of psycho-oncological support

Introduction: Psychosocial distress in cancer patients can have a significant impact on quality of life and adherence to treatment. Psychosocial distress is often systematically recorded in an inpatient setting. Psychosocial distress is also assessed in outpatient oncological care using psycho-oncological screening. However, there is currently little evidence that considers the psychosocial distress, the perceived need for support and the disease-related sociodemographic factors in outpatient cancer patients. Methods: = 868 outpatient cancer patients were analyzed. Psychosocial distress was assessed using the Distress Thermometer (DT) and specific problem areas were identified using the Problem Checklist (PCL). Sociodemographic and medical factors were examined with regard to their influence on the experience of distress and the perceived need for psycho-oncological support. Results: 46.1% of cancer patients reported high distress (DT ≥ 5) and 10% indicated a perceived need for psycho-oncological support. Younger age, female gender, and the first year after diagnosis were significantly associated with high distress. The most common physical and psychosocial problems included skin problems, exhaustion, sleep disorders, pain, worries, and anxiety. Discussion: The results underscore the need for standardized distress screening in outpatient care, in order to identify need for support at an early stage and provide targeted interventions. Future studies should examine the factors that may influence utilization in more detail so that barriers can be further reduced and psycho-oncological interventions can be offered in an outpatient setting in a manner that is tailored to needs and requirements.