Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer

Question 1

What are the risk factors of cancer?

Answer 1

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Safety in the sun
• Alcohol
• Chemicals
  
  • e.g. asbestos
• Viruses
• Diet

Question 2

What are the common cancers when smoking (tabacco)?

Answer 2

1. Lung
2. Bladder
3. Bowel

Question 3

What is the brief intervention you could do to stop someone smoking?

Answer 3

3 A’s

• Ask (e.g. readiness to change)
• Advice (e.g. thee advice on stopping smoking)
• Act on response (e.g. making a referral)

Question 4

What are the most common cancers with overweight & obesity? & why?

Answer 4

1. Breast
2. Bowel
3. Renal cancer

Obesity causes cancer as when there are more fat cells = MORE chance of cancer cells being produced

This is why obese people should get specialist advice from NUTRITIONALISTS

Question 5

What is coping & what is resilience?

Answer 5

• Coping - how we adapt to protect from stress
• Resilience - outcome of successful coping
  
  • Ability to adapt & bounce back
  • Is dynamic & changes over time

Question 6

Why does screening & self-examination uptake vary? & examples

Answer 6

1. Patient factors
   
   • ​​SES
   • Beliefs on screening
   • Anxiety about the process
   • Percieved risks
2. Health Professional factors
   
   • ​​Communication
3. Organisational factors
   
   • Invitations
   • Opt out vs opt in
   • Location

Examples:

• Breast self-examination (BSE)
• Cervical smear test (CST)

Question 7

What are the postive associations/factors for BSE & CST?

Answer 7

Question 8

What is the psychological morbidity associated with cancer?

Answer 8

• 50% experience depression/anxiety at time of diagnosis (affects QoL)
• 25% experience depression/anxiety after 6 months
• 10-15% experience depression/anxiety after 1 year

Question 9

Explain and draw the Kubler-ross cycle/Grief cycle

Answer 9

Question 10

Explain the Shontz model of chronic illness

Answer 10

3 stage model following diagnosis of chronic illness

1. Shock (feelings of detachment from the situation)
2. Encounter reaction (disorganised thinking)
3. Retreat (denial of problem)

Question 11

What can the psychological impact of cancer be on the patient?

Answer 11

• Fear of recurrence
• Breast cancer - loss of sense of feminity, attractiveness & body image
• Head & neck cancer - eating, drinking, breathing, body image (affect)

Question 12

What are the coping styles in cancer diagnosis?

Answer 12

• Fighting spirit (majority)
• Stoic acceptance
• Denial
• Helplessness/hopelessness

Question 13

Explain the NICE model of assessment & support (psychological)

Answer 13

1. Level 1
   
   • All health & social care professionals
2. Level 2
   
   • Health & social care professionals​​ with additional experience
3. Level 3
   
   • ​​Trained accredicted professionals
4. Level 4
   
   • ​​Mental health specialists

Question 14

Explain personalised care in cancer

Answer 14

• It is a partnership approach
• Makes decisions about health & well-being
• Gives people the same choice & control over their mental health & physical health

Question 15

What are some psychosocial interventions in cancer?

Answer 15

• Education/Lifestyle​​​
• Social/peer support (e.g. Macmillan)​
• Behavioural interventions (relaxation, fatigue management)
• Psychotherapy
  
  • ​CBT

Question 16

What are the stress & illness approaches?

Answer 16

1. Biopsychosocial approach
2. Risk perception
3. Motivational change models
4. Health belief models

Go from a hollistic approach (patient centred)

Illness & stress INCREASED in low socioeconomic groups

Question 17

Explain the biopsychosocial approach

Answer 17

Question 18

Explain risk perception

Answer 18

Question 19

Explain stages of change model

Answer 19

Question 20

Explain health belief model

Answer 20