Poster Presentation COSA-IPOS Joint Scientific Meeting 2012

Indication for psychooncology care among volunteer programme participants (#608)

Veronika Koutná 1 , Marie Nosálková 2
  1. Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
  2. Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Cancer and its treatment followed by hospitalization represent an important stress factor for a patient and psychosocial care is considered as a part of comprehensive oncology care. Civic association Amelie was founded to support the oncology patients and their relatives. The organization implements group art sessions as a Volunteer programme at Oncology Clinic Faculty Hospital Olomouc. Although the motivation of volunteers is frequently discussed theme in the field of actual researches at the time, a little is known about the motivation and expectations of the clients attending these volunteer programs. Our goal in this study is to analyze the profile of a patient who is interested in aforementioned activities in terms of indication for psychooncology care and other relevant characteristics. The set of questionnaires with Hornheide Questionnaire and the evaluation questionnaire was distributed among 45 respondents who attended the Volunteer programme during the period of 9 months. We emphasized low degree of the burden the questionnaires represent for the people undergoing cancer treatment. The Volunteer programme is the most often sought by women (χ2=33,8>χ20,01(1)=6,63) in average age 57 during their first hospitalization due to cancer lasting for 5-9 weeks. Their attendance in the Programme is motivated by the possibility to learn something new and the distraction from the thoughts about cancer is considered as the Program’s main benefit. Among other possible activities, the respondents are interested in talking with volunteers. The results suggest the connection of attendance in the Volunteer Programme with indication for psychooncology care (87% of the respondents are indicated for the psychoncology care, χ2=24,2>χ20,01(1)=6,63). According to the results of actual researches this high percentage does not correspond with the normal distribution of the indication for psychooncology care among cancer patients.