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Artikel: Is implementing screening for distress an efficient means to recruit patients to a psychological intervention trial?

Abstract: Psychological interventions show greater efficacy when evaluated with distressed patients. We report on the feasibility of implementing screening for recruiting distressed cancer patients to a randomized controlled trial of problem-solving therapy (PST), characteristics associated with enrol- ment, and time investment and challenges of implementing screening.

Methods: Three medical settings implemented screening of patients, directly after cancer treatment (T1) and 2 months later (T2), using Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 and one question about need for services. Distressed patients indicating need for services were interviewed. Eligible patients were of- fered the possibility to participate in the trial. Consenting patients were randomized to PST or waitlist.

Results: At T1, 366 of 970 screened patients (37%) scored above the cutoff and at T2, 208 of 689 screened patients (30%). At either or both T1 and T2, 423 patients reported distress, of whom 215 in- dicated need for services. Only 36 (4% of 970) patients consented to trial participation. Twenty-seven patients needed to be screened to recruit a single patient, with 17 h required for each patient recruited. Barriers to screening were time constraints and negative attitudes of oncology staff towards screening.

Conclusions: Implementing screening proved inefficient for recruiting distressed cancer patients post-treatment to a randomized controlled trial on PST, with need for services being much less than anticipated. Consecutively screening patients did not result in a sample representative of the larger pool of distressed patients, which may lower generalizability. An adequately powered intervention trial using screening requires a feasibility study establishing recruitment rates and dedicated, funded staff assistance. 

Auteur: 
Corinne van Scheppingen1, Maya J. Schroevers, Grieteke Pool, Ans Smink, Véronique E. Mul, James C. Coyne and Robbert Sanderman
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