The purpose of this paper is to argue the significance of psychosocial oncology in cancer treatment. Historically, cancer treatments have almost entirely been centered on treating the disease, while largely neglecting to care for the psychological health of the patient. Unfortunately, almost half of surveyed cancer patients develop preventable psychological disorders that go unrecognized (Parle, 1996). The field of psychosocial oncology acknowledges that cancer affects not only the mental health of the patient, but also that of his/her loved ones. The cancer patients whose treatments are enriched by the implementation of psychology have statistically lower mortality rates. Many studies show a better prognosis for patients in good mental health and a lower chance for later relapse when their spider web of social connections is acknowledged and preserved. Recently health care providers are recognizing the power of psychosocial oncology and are beginning to implement the field in their treatment plans with the goal of providing more efficient and holistic care to their patients.
The Significance of Psychosocial Oncology in Cancer Treatment
One of the greatest enemies of humanity is not what lives around us, but what may live inside us. In today’s modern society, especially in America, it is easy for one to feel invincible against traumas such as car accidents, bankruptcy, or even terrorism. Many of us convince ourselves we are safe against life altering dangers by putting our trust in the safety regulations of our automobiles, the expertise of our stockbrokers, or the strength of our military. The enemy that may be inside us is impartial to factors such as religion, wealth, age, political views, geographical location, g...
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...tudies show that over 25% of oncologists feel emotionally exhausted and even depressed as a result of connecting with their patients (Ramirez, 1996). Studies like these emphasize the need for psychologists in modern day cancer treatment, so the communication gap between physicians and their cancer patients can be bridged so that the treatment is more effective and holistic.
There is a significant need for psychosocial oncology in modern day cancer treatment. Cancer is an enemy that no patient should have to face alone. Cancer treatment should not only be focused on the disease but also the individual. Humans are complex organisms that need to have relationships each other. Psychological oncology helps the cancer patient manage their emotions so that they do not become depressed and sever the social ties that helps them to remember that life is worth fighting for.
Recently nine studies were done with cancer patients to show improvements on sleep quality, mood, stress, cancer-related distress, cancer related symptoms, and the patients over-all quality of life. One
Treating the biological side of a terminal illness involves a spectrum of possible care that patient can pursue.
Thanks in part to the scientific and technological advances of todays’ society, enhanced medicinal treatment options are helping people battle illnesses and diseases and live longer than ever before. Despite these advances, however, many people with life threatening illnesses have needs and concerns that are unidentified and therefore unmet at the end of life, notes Arnold, Artin, Griffith, Person and Graham (2006, p. 62). They further noted that when these needs and concerns remain unmet, due in part to the failure of providers to correctly evaluate these needs, as well as the patients’ reluctance to discuss them (p. 63, as originally noted by Heaven & Maguire, 1997), a patient’s quality of life may be adversely affected. According to Bosma et al. (2010, p. 84), “Many generalist social work skills regarding counseling, family systems, community resources, and psychosocial assessments are relevant to working with patients and families with terminal illness”, thereby placing social workers in the distinctive position of being able to support and assist clients with end of life decisions and care planning needs. In fact, they further noted that at some point, “most social work practitioners will encounter adults, children, and families who are facing progressive life limiting illness, dying, death, or bereavement” (p. 79).
Irish playwright, George Bernard, once said that “Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” Can someone truly “create themselves” when his or her life’s quality and longevity are in jeopardy? It is very sad to think about children who have been diagnosed with cancer and that if they lose their battle, may never get to live a full, healthy life like their peers. According to the Childhood Cancer Foundation, a staggering 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year; for 25% of them, the disease will be fatal. An estimated 13,500 children and adolescents younger than 20 years of age are diagnosed annually with some form of cancer in the United States alone. Those who do make it through their adolescent years have a greater risk of developing chronic health problems or secondary cancers in their later years. It goes without saying that the disease creates much hardship, pain and suffering. That being so, support for families and patients going through this hardship is very critical. There are many organizations that strive to be that backbone for these families. The Make a Wish Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House for example believe that, if a child is exposed to positive experiences and atmospheres, it will have an overall positive effect on his or her health and wellbeing. These support groups provide great opportunities for struggling families, but ultimately that can only go so far. Cancer not only compromises the patient’s physical health, but also affects the social, mental, economic, and emotional well-being of their entire family.
... a healthy lifestyle, which can also be used to treat the physical effects of cancer. Methods to lessen the psychological effects of cancer include “psychotherapy, support group therapy and antidepressant medication” (Cancer Complications, n.d.). Because cancer is such a painful illness that has many negative implications on the patient and those who are involved, many who have cancer tend to feel depressed and alone. With the support of fellow cancer patients and survivors, the pain of such a situation can be lessened.
Cancer. The word by itself can conjure images of severely ill and frail people attached to IV medications and chemotherapy drugs as they cling to life in a hospital bed. Other illustrations and pictures depict unrecognizable, misshaped organs affected by abnormal cells that grow out of control, spread, and invade other parts of the body. Cancer studies show that close to one-half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer during their lives. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. As patients are newly diagnosed with their specific type of cancer, whether it be breast, lung, prostate, skin, or blood cancer, etc., each patient has to consider what will happen with their future health care plan and who will be involved in their long journey from treatment to recovery. Once diagnosed, cancer patients become the focal point and the center of all activity in terms of care but cancer not only physically invades the patient’s body and well-being, it goes beyond the patient and significantly affects the emotional stability and support from from their loved ones and caregivers. Based on the insidious nature of cancer and typically late detection of malignant diseases, family members (either spouses, children, parents, other relatives, and friends) often become the patient's main caregiver. These caregivers, also known as informal caregivers, provide the cancer patient with the majority of the support outside of the medical facility or hospital environment and become the primary person to provide various types of assistance. They provide the physical support with bathing and assisting in activities of daily living, they become emotional ...
A cancer diagnosis can significantly change your life and the lives of your family in various ways. Hearing the news “you’ve been diagnosed with cancer” leave patients and their families in a whirlwind of emotions. The initial shock of this diagnosis leaves feelings of sadness, denial, frustration, confusion, fear, anger, and often times the “why me?” feeling. Thoughts start going through your head regarding how this affects yourself, your family, and your everyday life.
Another treatment that is used to help a cancer patients overcome the disease is radiation therapy. Although very affective and used commonly, thi...
I was a child when my aunt got sick, and my fascination about the field of medicine began. She had brain cancer. While I watched the disease progress I was flooded, not only with sadness and grief, but with questions. With two psychologists for parents I had a lot of support and understanding of my feelings, but I was left curious about the medical aspect of the disease and why there was no cure. The notion that the brain could change someone’s entire personality and physical function was amazing to me. Spending a lot of time in hospitals, I observed so much about the impact of a cancer diagnosis on patients and their families, and about what happens to people through the disease process. I noticed the enormous influence that the medical professional’s
Over the last several years since The Institute of Medicine (IOM) landmark report: Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs there has been growing awareness of the value of psychosocial support. A number of other professional and standard setting organizations have recognized the importance of and mandated social and emotional care as a part of their quality recommendations and/or measures, including Patient-Center Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI): 2012 Rese...
The search was limited to adult oncology populations with the key search terms informal caregiver, burden, strain, cancer, oncology, intervention, randomized controlled trial, systematic review or meta-analysis. A total of fifteen articles were reviewed with nine included in the summary of evidence (Appendix
My earliest experiences of observing nursing in action occurred during my last two years of high school. My father was diagnosed with cancer during the spring of my junior year and died right before my senior year. During that short time I watched as the nurses cared for him and I could see compassion and empathy in the way they looked at him. It never occurred to me until after I had raised my children that I wanted to be able to help people in the same way those nurses helped my dad. But now when I tell people that I want to be an oncology nurse, people often respond by saying that they would never choose that type of nursing. They say that they could not stand to watch their patients die so frequently. Their reactions, along with this course in death and dying, have made me question how I might be able to bear the challenges of nursing in an area where death of my patients may be common. I believe that oncology will be a positive specialty to work in because of the consistent advances in prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer. Furthermore, I believe that William Worden’s four tasks of mourning as presented in our text book is a good framework for the oncology nurse to use in order to cope with the repeated losses inherent in this type of nursing (Leming and Dickinson, 2011).
...e the cancer and look for the positives in the prognosis and treatment find encouragement for the future. There are various models and theories such as health belief model that are used to explain ones belief on risks and associated risks of a chronic illness and then there are theories such as Crisis theory when dealing with shock when diagnosed with a chronic illness and gate control theory when looking at pain and the psychological issues around dealing with pain. However even with various theories and models trying to explain crisis, pain and compliance to treatment the outcome and understanding and ultimately the way an individual deals with a chronic illness such a breast cancer falls very much down to self-efficacy and the belief the individual holds towards the illness itself the attitude and perception in the outcome of the illness, treatment and beyond.
Physical symptoms of cancer and the treatment can have serious social and emotional consequences for the diagnosed child....
People are often blinded by the situation in which they are in, and by their personal motives which drive them to act. Humans, by nature, have faults and vices that are potentially harmful. It is the responsibility of society to anticipate harm, whether to oneself or to others. Once dangerous patterns and habits are recognized, it is imperative to anticipate and prevent injury from reoccurring. To allow any individual to be inflicted harm forces citizens to lose trust in the government, thus unraveling the fabric of society.... ...