Objectives: In the following study we investigate which patients gained most by attending 10 psychoeducational lessons on cancer-related topics.
Methods: A total of N=294 cancer patients participated in the prospective study and were assigned either to the intervention group (IG; N=160) or to the control group (CG; N=134). Psychometric data was collected at the beginning of the course (t0) as well as two (t1) and four months later (t2)
Results: We found a significant decrease in anxiety after two months in the intervention group. The intervention group also was significantly more satisfied with care after two and four months. Particularly the patients with a higher education level and patients suffering from malignancies with a more protracted course such as lymphoma or colon cancer improved by attending the lessons. Breast cancer and female sex turned out to be predictors for the search for information.
Conclusion: Ten sessions of psychoeducation in the context of interdisciplinary cancer therapy can be an effective intervention at moderate cost.