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An analysis of the distress thermometer problem list and distress in patients with cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Patients with a cancer diagnosis experience complex issues that can cause distress. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with overall distress for a diverse population of cancer survivors.

Methods

Researchers conducted a secondary data analysis of distress ratings (n = 1205) for people receiving outpatient care at a Midwestern US cancer center from 2005 to 2009 to describe the relationships between distress factors and need for assessment of distress. The screening tool was based on the distress thermometer (DT) scale and a modified problem list. Odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals from this multivariable model were computed.

Results

Statistical analysis revealed that the items on the problem list that most contribute to being at risk for distress include financial, worry, nervousness, getting around, and sleep. The most highly associated risk factor for distress was worry. Those that were at risk for high distress were 5.57 times more likely to endorse problems related to worry.

Conclusions

This research identifies which factors may be especially salient to the patient’s perception of distress and help guide clinicians in developing targeted screening strategies and specific interventions based on patient response to the DT. It also points to the need for future research to more clearly characterize distress from the patient perspective and determine when interventions may be indicated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS, USA

    Lisa VanHoose, Lora L. Black, Kimberly Doty, Dory Sabata, Sarah Taylor & Rhonda Johnson

  2. University of Kansas, 1415 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS, USA

    Lora L. Black

  3. University of Kansas School of Medicine, 1010 North Kansas, Wichita, KS, USA

    Philip Twumasi-Ankrah

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas Cancer Center, 10777 Nall Avenue, Suite 200, Overland Park, KS, 66211-1231, USA

    Rhonda Johnson

Authors
  1. Lisa VanHoose
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  2. Lora L. Black
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  3. Kimberly Doty
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  4. Dory Sabata
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  5. Philip Twumasi-Ankrah
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  6. Sarah Taylor
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  7. Rhonda Johnson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rhonda Johnson.

Additional information

Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development of the National Institutes of Health under the Award No. K12HD052027. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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VanHoose, L., Black, L.L., Doty, K. et al. An analysis of the distress thermometer problem list and distress in patients with cancer. Support Care Cancer 23, 1225–1232 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2471-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2471-1

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