Emotional impact of diagnosis and early treatment of lymphomas

Psychiatric morbidity, relevant symptoms and satisfaction with communication were assessed in patients suffering from malignant lymphoma. Before treatment started 15 of 40 patients had clinically significant psychiatric morbidity. Treatment, in its early stages, was not associated with a significant...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychosomatic research 1984, Vol.28 (2), p.157-162
Main Authors: Lloyd, G.G., Parker, A.C., Ludlam, C.A., McGuire, R.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adjustment Disorders - psychology
Adult
Aged
Attitude towards mental illness
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Hodgkin Disease - diagnosis
Hodgkin Disease - psychology
Hodgkin Disease - therapy
Humans
Lymphoma - diagnosis
Lymphoma - psychology
Lymphoma - therapy
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Physician-Patient Relations
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Sick Role
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
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Summary:Psychiatric morbidity, relevant symptoms and satisfaction with communication were assessed in patients suffering from malignant lymphoma. Before treatment started 15 of 40 patients had clinically significant psychiatric morbidity. Treatment, in its early stages, was not associated with a significant change in mean psychiatric morbidity scores but there was a decrease in ratings of concern about illness and an increase in ratings of nausea. Eleven of 31 patients seen for a second interview reported dissatisfaction with some aspect of communication with the medical staff. The findings suggest that emotional distress can be contained with a policy of frank communication; nevertheless dissatisfaction is common, being associated with initial less concern, good general health and neurotic personality traits. Personality assessment should be incorporated in future studies of doctor-patient communication.
ISSN:0022-3999
1879-1360
DOI:10.1016/0022-3999(84)90009-6