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Table 4 Associations between level of distress (Distress Thermometer, DT) and problem list categories [16, 19], anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) [42], and level of care cancer patients and carers were triaged to (Tiered Model of Care) [37] by Cancer Council Helpline operators.

From: Feasibility of brief psychological distress screening by a community-based telephone helpline for cancer patients and carers

 

Cancer Patient

Carer

 

DT score

<4

DT score

≥ 4

 

DT score

<4

DT score

≥ 4

 
 

n

%

n

%

p-value

n

%

n

%

p-value

Problem List Category

          

   Practical

15

18.8

37

26.2

0.21

3

27.3

26

25.2

0.883

   Family

4

5.0

23

16.3

0.01

3

27.3

28

27.2

1.003

   Emotional

25

31.3

89

63.1

<0.001

5

45.5

76

73.8

0.053

   Spiritual

1

1.3

2

1.4

0.923

0

0.0

2

1.9

0.643

   Treatment

24

30.0

58

41.1

0.10

4

36.4

23

22.3

0.303

   Symptoms

5

6.3

16

11.3

0.21

2

18.2

13

12.6

0.603

   Other

12

15.0

48

34.0

0.002

2

18.2

30

29.1

0.443

HADS: Anxiety 1,2

    

<0.001

    

0.0083

   Normal

59

73.8

48

34.0

 

8

72.7

33

32.0

 

   Borderline

13

16.3

37

26.2

      

   Clinical

8

10.0

56

39.7

 

3

27.3

70

68.0

 

HADS: Depression 1,2

    

0.005

    

0.703

   Normal

64

80.0

83

58.9

 

8

72.7

69

67.0

 

   Borderline

8

10.0

33

23.4

      

   Clinical

8

10.0

25

17.7

 

3

27.3

34

33.0

 

HADS cut-off

    

<0.001

    

0.13

   < 15

64

80.0

62

44.0

 

8

72.7

50

48.5

 

   ≥ 15

16

20.0

79

56.0

 

3

27.3

53

51.5

 

Level of Care Triaged to

    

<0.001

    

0.253

   Universal

35

46.7

23

16.9

 

3

30.0

18

18.8

 

   Supportive

36

48.0

74

54.4

 

7

70.0

58

60.4

 

   Extended-Acute

4

5.3

39

28.7

 

0

0.0

20

20.8

 
  1. 1. Anxiety and Depression subscales: Normal = score of 0-7; Borderline = score of 8-10; Clinical = score of 11+.
  2. 2. Borderline and clinical categories have been collapsed for chi-square comparisons.
  3. Greater than 20% of cells have expected counts less than 5 and/or the minimum expected count is less than 1. Interpret with caution.