TY - JOUR
T1 - Incorporating a psychological counselor in a cancer risk assessment program
T2 - Necessity, acceptability, and potential roles
AU - Matthews, Alicia K.
AU - Brandenburg, Dana L.
AU - Cummings, Shelly
AU - Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - Evidence suggests that cancer risk assessment may be associated with increased psychological distress. This exploratory study assessed the necessity and acceptability of incorporating psychological counseling into routine clinic procedures at a cancer risk program. Following a visit to a university-based cancer risk clinic, patients (N = 102) completed an anonymous self-report instrument. Participants reported experiencing current stress and anxiety (41%), depression (29%), and suicidal ideation (2%). Patients with a history of cancer were more likely to be experiencing current emotional difficulties. Sixty-nine percent of the participants found the visit with the psychological counselor to be helpful, while 41% of the participants reported interest in follow-up psychological services. Interest in receiving future psychological services was positively correlated with levels of anxiety, depression, and cancer worry. This pilot study demonstrates the acceptability and potential role for psychological counselors in increasing adjustment in high-risk patients undergoing genetic counseling for inherited cancers.
AB - Evidence suggests that cancer risk assessment may be associated with increased psychological distress. This exploratory study assessed the necessity and acceptability of incorporating psychological counseling into routine clinic procedures at a cancer risk program. Following a visit to a university-based cancer risk clinic, patients (N = 102) completed an anonymous self-report instrument. Participants reported experiencing current stress and anxiety (41%), depression (29%), and suicidal ideation (2%). Patients with a history of cancer were more likely to be experiencing current emotional difficulties. Sixty-nine percent of the participants found the visit with the psychological counselor to be helpful, while 41% of the participants reported interest in follow-up psychological services. Interest in receiving future psychological services was positively correlated with levels of anxiety, depression, and cancer worry. This pilot study demonstrates the acceptability and potential role for psychological counselors in increasing adjustment in high-risk patients undergoing genetic counseling for inherited cancers.
KW - Cancer risk counseling
KW - Genetic counseling
KW - Mental health counseling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3543082105&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=3543082105&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1023/A:1013820515603
DO - 10.1023/A:1013820515603
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:3543082105
SN - 1059-7700
VL - 11
SP - 51
EP - 64
JO - Journal of Genetic Counseling
JF - Journal of Genetic Counseling
IS - 1
ER -