Katz, M.R., Irish, J.C., & Devins, G.M. (2004). Development and pilot testing of a psychoeducational intervention for oral cancer patients. Psycho-Oncology, 13, 642–653.
The intervention involved a 95-page teaching booklet, What to Expect From Your Oral Cancer Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Families. The booklet included information about oral cancer, treatments, and effective coping strategies. Contents were divided into preparing for surgery, postoperative care, and returning home.
In the intervention group, the booklet was given to patients pre- and postoperatively by a nurse experienced in caring for patients with head and neck cancers. The preop session was 60–90 minutes of individual teaching before admission to the hospital for surgery. The predischarge session was 60–90 minutes of individual teaching several days prior to expected discharge from the hospital.
In the control group, patients received standard level of care, which included a preop meeting with the surgeon for consent to treatment as well as a brief description of the illness and treatment. Also included in the preadmission information was a tour of the ward and a team visit from the physician, dietitian, social worker, speech therapist, and enterostomal nurse. No information about coping or emotional difficulties was provided routinely. Measurements were taken at baseline, predischarge, and three months follow-up.
A randomized controlled trial design was used.
The authors reported significant improvement in anxiety scores within the intervention group from time 1 to time 3 (t = 2.88, df = 9, p = 0.018).