[Interdisciplinary psychoeducational intervention by oncologists proved helpful for cancer patients].

Objectives: We prospectively evaluated the effects of a six-session psychoeducational intervention held by medical doctors or psychologists in a German acute cancer center setting.

Methods: A cluster randomization was used to assign n=108 oncologic patients (55 female, 53 male; mean age=58.5) to the intervention or the control group.

[Structured patient education in oncology. A prospective study for implementing and effectiveness of interdisciplinary psycho-educational group intervention at a German university clinic].

Aim: To identify the target group for a structured educational group intervention in an acute cancer care setting, and to prove its effectiveness.

Patients And Methods: Cancer patients were given an opportunity to join an educational group intervention lasting 3 weeks (consisting of six times 1 hour). The intervention consisted of two major components: health education and coping skills.

[Mutual stress and support in couples with one cancer patient].

Sources of distress and support were assessed in a prospective study covering 149 couples with a cancer patient on outpatient chemotherapy, with an overall equally high impact of disease. Distress levels in spouses were found as high as in patients, showing a moderate relation within couples. From multivariate regression analyses spouses' distress proved predominantly determined by characteristics of illness.

[Needs and utilization of ambulatory psychosocial services by cancer patients--exemplified by the oncologic day clinic].

Needs and acceptance of specific psychosocial care was assessed in a longitudinal study of 224 patients. In an oncologic adult day hospital chemotherapy patients express the strongest need for information and social counselling. Assessment of the need for psychosocial care depends on the sex of the patients, their coping resources, the course of the disease and differs between patients and therapists.

[Need for psychosocial counseling--a comparison of women and men in East and West Germany].

The increasing use of psychosocial medical care by women has resulted in a wider range of counselling facilities for specific problems concerning women over the last few years. According to our survey including the population of both Western and Eastern Germany, however, there is no evidence that women have a greater need for counselling activities than men. Needs for counselling are more freely admitted by women than by men; counselling needs for so-called "women's problems" are more commonly observed in Eastern Germany, whereas male oriented problems predominate in Western Germany.