REDUCING DISTRESS IN CANCER-PATIENTS WITH AN ORIENTATION PROGRAM

The purpose of this study was to test a brief orientation program for reducing anxiety, depressive symptoms, and overall distress in cancer patients at their initial clinic visit. One hundred and fifty consecut ively referred patients seen in an oncology outpatient clinic were ran domly assigned to an intervention or usual care control group. The int ervention group received a clinic tour, general information about clin ic operations, and a question and answer session with an oncology coun selor. Outcome measures included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (ST AI), the Brief Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Center for Epidemiol ogic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale, and an oncology clinic question naire which were administered at the initial clinic visit and follow-u p. There were no statistically significant clinical or demographic dif ferences between groups at initial assessment. At follow-up, the inter vention group had lower state anxiety, lower overall distress, and few er patients reporting depressive symptoms. Patients in the interventio n group demonstrated significantly more knowledge about clinic operati ons and greater satisfaction with care. These data provide evidence th at anxiety, distress and depressive symptoms can be reduced with an or ientation program. This finding has particular relevance in the early stages of diagnosis where patients may suffer symptoms of anxiety and depression. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.