Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32281033›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2020

Moving closer to death: understanding psychosocial distress among older veterans with advanced cancers.

Frances R Nedjat-Haiem, Tamara J Cadet, Alonzo J Ferral, Eun Jeong Ko, Beti Thompson, Shiraz I Mishra

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In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 37% of its field
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. 'Only to reconcile with it'. The coping experience amongst middle-aged and older cancer survivors: A qualitative study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

6 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Frances R Nedjat-HaiemSchool of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4119, USA. fnedjathaiem@sdsu.edu.
Tamara J CadetSchool of Social Work, Simmons University, Boston, MA, USA.
Alonzo J FerralSchool of Social Work, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA.
Eun Jeong KoSchool of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182-4119, USA.
Beti ThompsonSchool of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Shiraz I MishraUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
San Diego State University · USHarvard University · USNew Mexico State University · USUniversity of New Mexico · USUniversity of Washington · US

Funding

John A. Hartford Foundation 000000000
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarly identification of psychosocial distress is important to address the needs of vulnerable populations and influence symptom management. Older veterans diagnosed with life-limiting cancers are particularly vulnerable because they often have unmet needs, experiencing psychological or emotional problems and gaps in healthcare communication, which extends suffering. Lack of emotional support, ongoing physical pain, and unresolved symptom control can further increase distress among older veterans, contributing to complexity of decision-making for end of life (EOL) care.

objectiveWe explored older veterans' experiences and identification of psychosocial distress in cancer care to better understand how they describe distress while facing the end of life.

methodsGuiding this study is a conceptual framework from psychosocial oncology with the multifactorial experience of distress indicated by NCCN guidelines for distress screening. We use a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of psychosocial distress among older veterans diagnosed with advanced cancers at risk for dying within a year. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Provider response of "no" to, "Would you be surprised if your patient died within a year?" and "yes", to the question, "Have you talked with your patient about the severity of their illness as being life-limiting, terminal?"

resultsFive themes emerged: (1) the meaning of distress: "It's hard to explain"; (2) severity of advanced cancer: "There's no stage five"; (3) distressing thoughts about the possibility of dying: "Either way, it's life limiting"; (4) coping: "Deal with it and hope for a better day"; and (5) personal factors: "I don't want to be anything but a man who can handle adversity." Findings suggest older veterans may have unique cancer experiences different from other populations.

conclusionOlder veterans in this study exhibited distressing symptoms which demonstrate they are at risk for declining health and in need of support for their distress. Healthcare providers are urged to understand the complexity of distress to provide the best possible treatment for older veterans.

Indexed as

Palliative CarePsychological DistressAgedHealth PersonnelHospice CareHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasmsPainPsycho-OncologyStress, PsychologicalTerminal CareVeteransCancerNCCN guidelinesPalliative carePsychosocial distress screeningQualitativeVeterans

Identifiers

PMID32281033
OpenAlexW3015755052

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.