Temi ricorrenti in racconti relativi all’esperienza di malattia oncologica: analisi del testo letterario

L’incontro fra medicina e letteratura contribuisce a ricondurre la pratica della cura alla sua finalità originaria: essere una medicina per l’uomo. Il mondo narrato da pazienti e operatori della salute è molto variegato rispetto a quanto la letteratura scientifica descrive. Nel percorso di malattia non emerge solo la sofferenza, ma anche il tema della speranza.

L’informazione al paziente oncologico: analisi della letteratura grigia dedicata ai minori

L’informazione ludico-terapeutica favorisce l’adesione ai trattamenti e il benessere. In questo lavoro si è censita ed analizzata la letteratura grigia destinata ai minori pazienti oncologici. Si sono identificati 13 materiali pertinenti, riportandone dati bibliografici, caratteristiche fisiche e contenutistiche. Le pubblicazioni sono, per struttura, contenuto e linguaggio, adatte ai destinatari.Background. The ludic-therapeutic information to cancer young patients is crucial to promote their adherence to treatments, share to clinical procedures, control of anxiety, fear and pain resulting from illness and the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway to be taken. Publications for informational, popular purposes seem to be scarcely known by health professionals involved in the care of the pediatric patient. The study aims to survey and analyze the gray literature intended for pediatric patients, in order to assess its characteristics and bring them to the attention of health care professionals. Materials and Methods. The identified publications were surveyed through the collection of bibliographic data and analyzed, according to their intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics, by a data collection grid created ad hoc (the appeal of the publication, the layout of the text, the pictures, the structuring of the text, content, vocabulary and involvement of the reader). Results. The convenience sample found and analyzed is of 13 teaching aids, selected according to the following criteria: gray literature, and popular informational purposes; recipients children and adolescents. Conclusions. The publications taken into account are suitable to the recipients for their structure, content and language. It is our purpose to analyze thoroughly the characteristics and quality of information produced, the use and dissemination of these publications in onco-pediatric wards as well as the repercussions that these materials have on children and teenager cancer patients who read them through the use of cards validated

A contribution to the validation of the Italian version of the Body Image Scale (BIS)

Abstract Background The Body Image Scale (BIS) is a 10-item mono-factorial scale, designed to capture distress and symptoms related to body image in cancer patients. This paper describes the conversion and psychometric evaluation of an Italian BIS version. Methods After the back-translation procedure, the Italian version of the BIS, together with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire, have been administered to a sample of Italian adult females, surgically treated for a breast cancer at least one year before. Results Data on 109 participants were analyzed. The response rate was 92.5%. Response prevalence was adequate for 9 out of 10 items. Principal component analysis showed a one-factor structure. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha =0.924) was good. The BIS correlated with the theoretically pertinent subscales of the other administered tools and was able to discriminate participants (discriminant validity) according to the undertaken surgical treatment (p = 0.031). Conclusions This study supports the valid and reliable use also of the Italian version of the BIS

Emotional impact on the results of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test: an observational retrospective study

Abstract Background BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are associated with a higher risk of breast and ovarian tumors. This study evaluated the emotional states of women 1 month after having received the results of the genetic test and assessed eventual associations with the type of outcome, personal/familiar disease history and major socio-demographic variables. Methods The study, an observational retrospective one, involved 91 women, evaluated 1 month after receiving their results. Patients were administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Profile of Mood States and emotional Thermometers. Results Anxiety was significantly higher than depression (p < 0.001), and 21.3% and 21.3% of the sample were, respectively, possible and probable cases for anxiety, whereas 13.5% and 10.1% were possible and probable cases for depression. Within the six mood states, Confusion-Bewilderment (M = 48.5) was the lowest, whereas Fatigue-Inertia (M = 52.3) was the highest. Differences were recorded within the ten assessed emotions too. Being a proband/nonproband and being or not a cancer patient were associated with many tested variables. Conclusion The psycho-emotional screening of women undertaking genetic counseling is relevant and should cover a large range of dimensions