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  P2.24 - Poster Session 2 - Supportive Care (ID 157)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Supportive Care
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/29/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 11991

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    P2.24-045 - Enhancing psychological services for people with lung cancer (ID 2656)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): M. Ftanou
    • Abstract

    Background
    Background: Lung cancer patients have a higher level of disease burden, higher unmet psychosocial needs and lower uptake of psychological services compared with other cancer groups. The Department of Clinical Psychology, in collaboration with the lung cancer service at PeterMac, revised the model of psychological care to optimise access and improve psychosocial well-being.

    Methods
    Method: This revised model of care involved realigning the Psychology Outpatient Clinic to run in parallel with the Lung Outpatient Clinic. The aims were to: 1) provide a timely and early intervention service; 2) increase patient access to psychology services; 3) reduce the burden of accessing psychology services; and 4) assess psychological needs of patients and provide appropriate psychological interventions. Patient demographics, uptake, referral information and session data were collected for a three month period and compared to data from the same period in the previous year.

    Results
    Results: Our sample included a total of 37 patients with lung cancer. The results indicated that the revised model of service delivery led to: a 21% increase in new lung patient referrals for psychology services; an almost 100% uptake of services; and a 186% increase in the number of scheduled sessions attended by lung patients. The main reasons that patients attended sessions were to address mood fluctuations, loss and grief issues, relationship and existential concerns.

    Conclusion
    Conclusion: The revised model made a significant impact on meeting the previously unmet needs of this patient group through providing timely assessments and interventions. This highlights the potential effectiveness of integrating psychology services within medical cancer streams. We received no funding and there was no duality or conflict of interest