Assessing psychological distress in cancer patients: The use of distress thermometer in an outpatient cancer/hematology treatment center

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of the distress thermometer (DT) and the accompanying problem checklist (PC) as a screening tool for psychological distress and the sources of those distress at an outpatient cancer treatment center in Central California. Forty-three patients completed the DT and the PC. Based on a recommended DT cutoff score of 4, patients were classified as “distressed” (>4) and “not-distressed” (<4).

Respondents ranged in age from 34 to 87 years (mean = 60.44, SD = 12.05), the majority of whom were female (55.8%). The most common types of cancer diagnosis were breast cancer, followed by blood abnormality (i.e., blood disorders), lung, and bladder cancer. Based on the recommended DT cutoff score, 51% of patients were identified as significantly distressed. Results showed significant difference on DT score between the distressed and not-distressed groups, t(41) = −4.25, p < .001. The most commonly reported sources of distress were in the practical, emotional, and physical domains of the PC list.

Routine distress screening can significantly help improve identification of distress and the sources of the distress in cancer patients and enable healthcare professionals to facilitate appropriate psychosocial support and referrals. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer patients
• distress thermometer
• psychological distress
• screening

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.