Assessing psychological needs in female cancer patients: a tailored model: Psychosocial assessment for female cancer

Alessandra Miraglia Raineri; Rosapia Lauro Grotto; Giulia Fioravanti; Silvia Casale; Francesco  Rotella; Leonardo  Fei; Alessandro  Villanucci; Gianni Amunni; Carlo Faravelli

doi:10.23750/abm.v92iS2.11284

Assessing psychological needs in female cancer patients: a tailored model

Psychosocial assessment for female cancer

Authors

Alessandra Miraglia Raineri Department of Health Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy
Rosapia Lauro Grotto Department of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy; Multidisciplinary Analysis of Relationships in Health Care Laboratory, UNISER, Pistoia, Italy
Giulia Fioravanti Department of Health Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Silvia Casale 1Department of Health Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
Francesco Rotella Psychiatric Unit, AOU Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
Leonardo Fei Psycho-Oncology Unit - AOU Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy
Alessandro Villanucci Translational Oncology Unit, AOU Careggi, Florence, Italy
Gianni Amunni Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Florence, Direttore Generale Institute for Cancer Research Prevention and Clinical Network, Florence, Italy
Carlo Faravelli Department of Health Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Keywords:

Stressful Life Events;, Female Cancer, Psychosocial Factors, Psychoncology

Abstract

Background and aim of the work. Psychosocial needs in cancer patients seem to be underestimated and undertreated. The present research was designed to explore under-considered psychosocial needs (e.g., stressful life events, perceived social support, sense of mastery and depressive/anxious symptoms) of a female cancer group. The aim of the study was to test an assessment psycho-oncological model for female cancer patients. An assessment model of psychosocial needs and Stressful Life Events was operationalized and tests its predictive power. Methods. We used Discriminant Analysis to test predictive power of the model and of the single variables included in it. 236 oncological patients (mean age 55.50 ± 13.09) were matched with 232 healthy control groups in the study. The following instruments were chosen: the Florence Psychiatric Interview, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Beck Depression Inventory I, and Sense of Mastery. Results. The model satisfied the assumption criteria and was significant (Ʌ= .680, X² = 109.73, p< .001). Conclusions. Stressful events, depression and anxiety were adequate markers of the assessment psycho-oncological model proposed for female cancer patients. The present study provides contributions in a clinical perspective: the results support the relevance of considering an assessment psychosocial model to use in female oncology for an accurate estimation of the women’s needs. Women affected by female cancer with an history of Stressful Early and Recent life events and high level of anxiety and depression could positively benefit from a psychotherapy treatment.

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