Development of a Psychoeducational Intervention for Men with Prostate Cancer

• Published in: Journal of psychosocial oncology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 136 - 153
• Main Authors: Boonzaier, Ann, Schubach, Kathryn, Troup, Kathleen, Pollard, Annabel, Aranda, Sanchia, Schofield, Penelope
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Taylor & Francis Group 01-01-2009; Haworth Press; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; cancer support groups; Clinical trials; Education; Follow-Up Studies; Groups; Humans; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Men; Miscellaneous; patient education; Patient Education as Topic - methods; Patient Satisfaction; Program Development - methods; Program Evaluation - methods; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - complications; Prostatic Neoplasms - psychology; Prostatic Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Radiation therapy; Self Care - methods; Self Care - psychology; self-management; Social Support; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Studies; Support; Treatment Methods; Treatments; Australia; Oceania; Social environment; Human; Urinary system disease; Group treatment; Prostate disease; Mental health; Male; Psychoeducation; Malignant tumor; cancer support groups; self-management; Patient education; Treatment; Follow up study; Therapeutic schedule; Male genital diseases; Prostate cancer; Public health; Cancer
• ISSN: 0734-7332; 1540-7586
• DOI: 10.1080/07347330802616100

This study aimed to develop and implement a nurse-led psychoeducational group program for men receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer. These groups are part of a larger multidisciplinary care intervention, which is designed to enhance patient involvement in care. The manual for the groups was developed using a literature review and expert opinion from a multidisciplinary team consisting of radiation oncologists, urology nurses, behavioral scientists, psychologists, radiation therapists, and consumers. The group was pilot tested with 10 participants and further refined based on patient and facilitator feedback. The final program consisted of four, 1-hour, psychoeducational group sessions, with modules covering anatomy, treatment side effects, physical/lifestyle/ emotional impacts of prostate cancer, sexuality and communication, and survivorship delivered at pretreatment, midtreatment, end of treatment, and posttreatment. The modular design of this intervention is innovative in that men in the group can collectively nominate which modules they wish to focus on. Feedback from patients and facilitators was positive with minimal changes made to the manual, apart from session 4 that required expansion to permit group members to have greater choice over the content. Participants endorsed the psychoeducational groups as being useful, an appropriate length, and addressing their issues of concern. Further testing of the psychoeducational groups is currently being undertaken as part of a larger randomized controlled trial of the multidisciplinary care intervention.