Comprehensive Psychosocial Distress Screening in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Lung Cancer – A Mixed Methods Study
Authors
Emidio, Oluwabunmi M.Faculty Advisor
Stephenie C. LemonAcademic Program
Clinical and Population Health ResearchUMass Chan Affiliations
Population and Quantitative Health SciencesDocument Type
Doctoral DissertationPublication Date
2022-01-28Keywords
Psychosocial DIstressScreening
Lung Cancer
Social Determinants of Health
Time to Treatment
Qualitative
Mixed Methods
Psycho-Oncology
SES
Health Services Research
Medicine and Health Sciences
Oncology
Public Health
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background: Patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer have one of the highest rates of psychosocial distress which may be reduced by identifying factors associated with psychosocial distress. This dissertation examined the association of neighborhood-level Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and delay in treatment initiation with psychosocial distress. It also qualitatively explored perceptions and practices of the lung cancer care team regarding psychosocial distress screening. Methods: Sociodemographic, clinical, and SDOH data of patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer between 2017 and 2021 was analyzed via logistic regression. Thematic analysis was done for interviews conducted with the lung cancer care team. Results: SDOH and delay in treatment were not significantly associated with psychosocial distress. However, a high deprivation level of SDOH was associated with delay in treatment initiation. Qualitatively, four principal themes emerged: (1) Timing and frequency of screening: Multiple screenings at different time points may be more effective; (2) Training needs: All staff would benefit from training; (3) Staffing needs: More psychologists and social workers are needed to address identified patient psychosocial distress and; (4) Opportunity for holistic patient care: Consistent communication of distress screening information to physicians and surgeons may enhance a holistic care model for patients. Conclusions: The lung cancer care team valued psychosocial distress screening and identified opportunities for improving screening processes. The finding of association of high deprivation level of SDOH with greater delay in treatment initiation suggests that targeted interventions to reduce delay in treatment initiation, focusing on economically marginalized groups may be warranted.DOI
10.13028/c3es-ja11Permanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/31409Rights
Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved.ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.13028/c3es-ja11