Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29877630›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical radiation sciences2018

Development and pilot of an international survey: 'Radiation Therapists and Psychosocial Support'.

Kelly L Elsner, Diana Naehrig, Georgia K B Halkett, Haryana M Dhillon

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of medical radiation sciences, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Psychosocial and supportive care in radiation therapy: a qualitative comparison of Norway and Canada.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Survey of radiation therapists' current practices and perceptions of psychosocial and supportive care in Canada and Norway.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  4. How do radiation therapists detect and manage patients experiencing anxiety in the radiation oncology setting? A vignette study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Kelly L ElsnerSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4605-4648
Diana NaehrigSydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1162-4092
Georgia K B HalkettSchool of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4065-4044
Haryana M DhillonCentre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making, School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-5169

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionUp to one third of radiation therapy patients are reported to have unmet psychosocial needs. Radiation therapists (RTs) have daily contact with patients and can provide daily psychosocial support to reduce patient anxiety, fear and loneliness. However, RTs vary in their values, skills, training, knowledge and involvement in providing psychosocial support. The aims of this study were to: (1) develop an online survey instrument to explore RT values, skills, training and knowledge regarding patient anxiety and psychosocial support, and (2) pilot the instrument with RT professionals to assess content validity, functionality and length.

methodAn online cross-sectional survey, titled 'Radiation therapists and psychosocial support' was developed. Items included patient vignettes, embedded items from RT research, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL5). Four radiation oncology departments volunteered to pilot the survey; each nominated four RT staff to participate. Survey data were analysed descriptively and qualitative feedback grouped and coded to determine whether the survey needed to be refined.

resultsThirteen of sixteen RTs completed the pilot survey and feedback form. Median time to completion was 35 mins, with 54% of respondents stating this was too long. Respondents reported content, questions and response options were relevant and appropriate. Feedback was used to: refine the survey instrument, minimise responder burden and drop out and improve functionality and quality of data collection.

conclusionThis pilot of the 'Radiation therapists and psychosocial support' survey instrument demonstrated content validity and usability. The main survey will be circulated to a representative sample of RTs for completion.

Indexed as

Psychosocial Support SystemsHumansPatientsPilot ProjectsRadiologistsSurveys and QuestionnairesPatient anxietypilot surveypsychosocial supportradiation therapistssurvey development

Identifiers

PMID29877630
PMCPMC6119728

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.