Interest in a psycho-educational group intervention among out-patients with malignant melanoma in relation to their need: which patients are likely to participate?

• Published in: Psycho-oncology (Chichester, England) England), 2009-11, Vol.18 (11), p.1179-1188
• Main Authors: Winzer, Alexandra, Hoppe, Annekatrin, Altenhoff, Jürgen, Kuwert, Christoph, Koch, Uwe, Schulz, Holger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Avoidance; Cancer; Emotional disorders; Female; Humans; Intervention; Male; malignant melanoma; Melanoma - psychology; Melanoma - therapy; Men; Middle Aged; needs; Oncology; Outpatients; Patient Compliance; Patient Education as Topic; psychoeducational groups; Psychosocial factors; Psychotherapy, Group; Skin melanoma; Social Support; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Studies; Unmet needs
• ISSN: 1057-9249; 1099-1611
• DOI: 10.1002/pon.1164

The aim of this study was to examine the interest which patients with malignant melanoma may have in a six week psycho‐educational group intervention and determine factors that are associated with their degree of interest. Of 144 outpatients, 121 (84%) agreed to participate in the interview (78 women, 66 men, mean age 59, SD=15; mean time since surgery=57 months, SD=55). About one‐third (29%) of the sample had either nodal or in‐transit metastases. A semi‐structured interview was conducted to assess patients' interest (perceived need) in the intervention. We administered the Hornheide questionnaire and other psychosocial measures to identify highly distressed patients (expert‐defined need). Lower age, being male, having no partner and lower cognitive avoidance emerged as significant predictors for a general interest in the intervention (n=92). A substantial number of patients (42.5%) stated a willingness to participate in the intervention at that time. Two problematic subgroups could be identified in the sample: patients in an expert‐defined need of support who lacked any interest (‘avoiders’) and interested patients without an expert‐defined need (‘skilled help‐seekers’). In order to achieve consistent results when conducting future interventions, the interventions should either be limited to patients with expert‐defined need or patients should be carefully controlled for this variable. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.