One-year effect of a nurse-led psychosocial intervention on depressive symptoms in patients with head and neck cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience depressive symptoms after treatment. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a psychosocial nurse counseling and after intervention (NUCAI) versus usual care on the depressive and HNC-related physical symptoms of patients with HNC at 1 year after diagnosis.

Methods

A total of 205 patients with HNC were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 103) or usual care (n = 102), with stratification for gender and tumor stage. The NUCAI, which consisted of six bimonthly 45-minute counseling sessions, was a problem-focused intervention aimed at helping patients to manage the physical, psychological, and social consequences of HNC and its treatment. It was nurse-led and offered in combination

SUBMITTER: van der Meulen IC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3607532 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature