Name:	PODS
Title:	Persistence of distress in cancer outpatients: a symptom follow-up study
Researchers:	Annet Kleiboer, Parvez Thekkumpurath, Neelom Sharma, Christian Holm Hansen, Gordon Murray, Jane Walker
Funding Body:	Cancer Research UK and Compass Collaborative
Funding Awarded:	£0
Start Date:	June 2009
End Date:	November 2010

 

Summary

Psychological distress (feeling stressed, low or worried) is a common problem for people with cancer and affects about a quarter of cancer outpatients. Previous research has focussed on patients with severe distress (those with a psychiatric disorder). We do not know how many cancer outpatients with less severe distress still have this six months later and which patients are most likely to suffer from persistent distress. This study will address these questions by following up a sample of cancer outpatients who have been identified as having psychological distress at a routine symptom monitoring follow-up, but who do not meet criteria for major depression.
The study will:

• Describe the course of distress psychological distress in cancer outpatients who have significant psychological distress at a routine symptom monitoring follow-up but do not meet criteria for major depression.
• Describe the quality of life and symptom burden of these patients measured at the same time points.
• Determine the demographic, clinical and distress (severity & initial persistence) characteristics of patients that predict persistence of psychological distress.
• Determine the proportion of patients, with significant psychological distress at baseline who meet criteria for major depression at six months follow-u.