3.Perception on the Importance of Items on Psychosocial Assessment among Hospice and Palliative Care Social Workers.
Won chul KIM ; Myung Jin HWANG
Korean Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care 2014;17(4):259-269
PURPOSE: This preliminary study is aimed at developing standardized tools for psycho-social assessment of patients in needs for hospice/palliative care. To accomplish the purpose, investigators examined effects of perceptions of social workers on the importance of psycho-social domains of assessment in hospice/palliative care settings. Moreover, investigators paid attention to variances of perceptions of social workers' along with types of institution and credentials of those family settings. METHODS: A form of questionnaire was first explored from an initial interview assessment of 10 government-certified hospice care providers and a literature review, second constructed with eight domains and 80 items, and sent by e-mail to 55 institutions and hospitals providing hospice/palliative cares in Korea. Lastly, a total of 31 agencies returned with a completed responses and consent form (56% response rate). SPSS program (version 18.0) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Study found that social workers perceived patients' family background (m=4.53, 5-point scale) as the most important assessment domain, whereas economic conditions (4.06 point) the least important. Social workers' perception varied by credentials (i.e., license types, training, full-time position, types of care facility). CONCLUSION: Based upon study findings, investigators can conclude strong needs for developing a assessment tool that measures multiple domains (i.e., psychological, social and ecological aspects) of patients. A standardized assessment tool should be structured with 2 axis (center/core and expanded/peripheral) and tailored for institution type. Second, professional trainings must be provided by strengthening legal institutionalization and fostering qualified social workers with full responsibilities of hospice and palliative care patients.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra
;
Consent Forms
;
Electronic Mail
;
Foster Home Care
;
Hospice Care
;
Hospices*
;
Humans
;
Institutionalization
;
Korea
;
Licensure
;
Palliative Care*
;
Psychology
;
Research Personnel
;
Self-Assessment
;
Social Workers*
;
Statistics as Topic
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
4.Assessment of Breast Cancer Patients' Knowledge and Decisional Conflict Regarding Tamoxifen Use.
Se Ik KIM ; Yumi LEE ; Yedong SON ; So Yeun JUN ; Sooin YUN ; Hyo Sook BAE ; Myong Cheol LIM ; So Youn JUNG ; Jungnam JOO ; Eun Sook LEE
Journal of Korean Medical Science 2015;30(11):1604-1611
Breast cancer is the most common type of female cancer. Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, is widely used to decrease breast cancer recurrence and mortality among patients. However, it also increases the risk of endometrial cancer. This study aimed to assess knowledge and decisional conflict regarding tamoxifen use. Between June and October 2014, breast cancer patients using tamoxifen were consecutively screened and requested to complete a survey including the EQ-5D, Satisfaction with Decision Scale (SWD), Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS), and a self-developed, 15-item questionnaire measuring tamoxifen-related knowledge. The study sample comprised 299 patients. The mean total knowledge score was 63.4 of a possible 100.0 (range, 13.3-93.3). While 73.9% of the participants knew that tamoxifen reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence, only 57.9% knew that the drug increases endometrial cancer risk. A higher education level (> or =college) was associated with a higher, total knowledge score (beta = 4.291; P = 0.017). A higher knowledge score was associated with a decreased DCS score (beta = -0.366; P < 0.001). A higher SWD score was also associated with decreased decisional conflict (beta = -0.178; P < 0.001). In conclusion, the breast cancer patients with higher levels of tamoxifen-related knowledge showed lower levels of decisional conflict regarding tamoxifen use. Clinicians should provide the exact information about tamoxifen treatment to patients, based on knowledge assessment results, so as to aid patients' decision-making with minimal conflict.
Adult
;
Aged
;
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/adverse effects/therapeutic use
;
Breast Neoplasms/*drug therapy/epidemiology
;
Consent Forms/*statistics & numerical data
;
Decision Making
;
Endometrial Neoplasms/*chemically induced/epidemiology/prevention & control
;
Female
;
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
;
Health Surveys
;
Humans
;
Middle Aged
;
Patient Education as Topic/*statistics & numerical data
;
Patient Participation/statistics & numerical data
;
Prevalence
;
Republic of Korea
;
Risk Assessment
;
Tamoxifen/*adverse effects/*therapeutic use