Can assessment of psychosocial orientation assist continuing education program development in psychosocial oncology?

Background. A pilot study was designed to aid in the development of a forma l, interdisciplinary curriculum in psychosocial oncology for front-line hea lth care professionals. Method. A 190-item questionnaire was distributed o psychosocial (PP) and non-psychosocial (NPP) oncology professionals attendi ng a psychosocial skills workshop. A 38-item attitudinal survey of psychoso cial orientation was used in an attempt to identify unperceived needs of th e learners. Results. Of the 150 questionnaires distributed, 104 (69%) were completed and returned. Overall scores for satisfaction with the workshop w ere high, and significantly higher in the PP group. No interdisciplinary di fference existed in the preferred learning formats for future events, and b oth groups preferred interactive, experiential forums for developing skills relevant to patient management. The two groups' perceived learning needs d iffered. NPPs wanted to focus on skills such as communication, counseling, crisis intervention, palliative care, and coping with life-threatening illn ess. The attitudinal survey results demonstrated a significant difference b etween the psychosocial orientations of PPs and NPPs and suggested that NPP s would benefit from: 1) information to correct misconceptions about patien ts' psychosocial needs and experiences, 2) demonstrations of how to overcom e contextual barriers to the delivery of psychosocial care. Conclusions. Fr ont-line oncology professionals in many disciplines are interested in conti nuing education in psychosocial oncology. The attitudinal survey provided i nsight into unperceived learning needs that can help in designing future cu rricula. Its value as a tool to measure impact of these programs is worthy of future study.