Assessing emotional distress of women with breast cancer: A survey of surgical oncologists

Studies to identify women with breast cancer who are at risk for psychosocial morbidity have identified several predictors, two of which are the focus of this study: 1) prior psychiatric history, and 2) poor initial emotional response to diagnosis. To examine current medical practice a survey was mailed to members of the Society of Surgical Oncology (response rate = 41.21%) asking how often they assess these two factors, reasons for not doing so, and asssessment methods. Results indicate that the majority rarely assess psychiatric history but frequently assess current emotional state, primarily using interview questions. Recommendations are presented to increase the likelihood of psychiatric assessment and enhance its value to the patient and physician.