Aspects of Clinical Utility of the Distress Thermometer and Problem List After Burns

Overview

Journal Eur Burn J

Publisher MDPI

Date 2024 Nov 27

PMID 39600002

Authors

Helma W C Hofland

Anneke van de Steenoven

Nancy E E Van Loey

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Methods: Paediatric and adult patients visiting the outpatient clinic after admission to the burn centre were invited to complete the instrument. The DT and (problem domains of) the PL were related and compared to the need to discuss the reported problems.

Results: A total of 160 patients were invited to complete the DT and PL, of which 139 agreed. The study shows evidence for appropriateness and high acceptability to clinicians and completers, although the effectiveness of the PL may be lower compared to the DT and needs adaptation to better meet the burn survivors' situation.

Discussion: The use of a screening instrument in the outpatient clinic environment has shown to be appropriate and acceptable and informs clinical practice to identify supportive needs in patients with burns. However, the PL needs to be adapted to the situation of the burn survivors.

Citing Articles

A randomized controlled trial of a compassion-centered spiritual health intervention to improve hospital inpatient outcomes.

Mascaro J, Palmer P, Ash M, Florian M, Kaplan D, Palitsky R PLoS One. 2025; 20(3):e0313602.

PMID: 40029890 PMC: 11875371. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313602.

References

Bultz B, Carlson L . Emotional distress: the sixth vital sign--future directions in cancer care. Psychooncology. 2006; 15(2):93-5. DOI: 10.1002/pon.1022. View

Tuinman M, Gazendam-Donofrio S, Hoekstra-Weebers J . Screening and referral for psychosocial distress in oncologic practice: use of the Distress Thermometer. Cancer. 2008; 113(4):870-8. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23622. View

Schepers S, Sint Nicolaas S, Maurice-Stam H, Haverman L, Verhaak C, Grootenhuis M . Parental distress 6 months after a pediatric cancer diagnosis in relation to family psychosocial risk at diagnosis. Cancer. 2017; 124(2):381-390. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31023. View

Graves K, Arnold S, Love C, Kirsh K, Moore P, Passik S . Distress screening in a multidisciplinary lung cancer clinic: prevalence and predictors of clinically significant distress. Lung Cancer. 2006; 55(2):215-24. PMC: 1857305. DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2006.10.001. View

Kirk D, Kabdebo I, Whitehead L . Prevalence of distress, its associated factors and referral to support services in people with cancer. J Clin Nurs. 2021; 30(19-20):2873-2885. PMC: 8453497. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15794. View

Cambiaso-Daniel J, Rivas E, Carson J, Hundeshagen G, Nunez Lopez O, Glover S . Cardiorespiratory Capacity and Strength Remain Attenuated in Children with Severe Burn Injuries at Over 3 Years Postburn. J Pediatr. 2017; 192:152-158. PMC: 5739078. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.09.015. View

Heath J, Shepherd L, Harcourt D . Towards improved psychological outcomes for survivors of burn injuries. Scars Burn Heal. 2018; 4:2059513118765371. PMC: 5987089. DOI: 10.1177/2059513118765371. View

Sousa H, Oliveira J, Figueiredo D, Ribeiro O . The clinical utility of the Distress Thermometer in non-oncological contexts: A scoping review. J Clin Nurs. 2021; 30(15-16):2131-2150. DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15698. View

Kool M, Geenen R, Egberts M, Wanders H, Van Loey N . Patients' perspectives on quality of life after burn. Burns. 2017; 43(4):747-756. DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2016.11.016. View

10.

Gibson J, Yarrow J, Brown L, Evans J, Rogers S, Spencer S . Identifying patient concerns during consultations in tertiary burns services: development of the Adult Burns Patient Concerns Inventory. BMJ Open. 2020; 9(12):e032785. PMC: 6955499. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032785. View

11.

Egberts M, Engelhard I, de Jong A, Hofland H, Geenen R, Van Loey N . Parents' memories and appraisals after paediatric burn injury: a qualitative study. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2019; 10(1):1615346. PMC: 6566713. DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1615346. View

12.

Haverman L, van Oers H, Limperg P, Houtzager B, Huisman J, Darlington A . Development and validation of the distress thermometer for parents of a chronically ill child. J Pediatr. 2013; 163(4):1140-6.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.06.011. View

13.

Kwa K, Pijpe A, Rashaan Z, Tuinebreijer W, Breederveld R, Van Loey N . Course and Predictors of Pruritus Following Burns: A Multilevel Analysis. Acta Derm Venereol. 2018; 98(7):636-640. DOI: 10.2340/00015555-2935. View

14.

Spronk I, Legemate C, Dokter J, Van Loey N, van Baar M, Polinder S . Predictors of health-related quality of life after burn injuries: a systematic review. Crit Care. 2018; 22(1):160. PMC: 6000969. DOI: 10.1186/s13054-018-2071-4. View

15.

Snowden A, White C, Christie Z, Murray E, McGowan C, Scott R . The clinical utility of the distress thermometer: a review. Br J Nurs. 2011; 20(4):220-7. DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2011.20.4.220. View

16.

Liu F, Huang J, Zhang L, Fan F, Chen J, Xia K . Screening for distress in patients with primary brain tumor using distress thermometer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2018; 18(1):124. PMC: 5797347. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-3990-9. View

17.

van Oers H, Schepers S, Grootenhuis M, Haverman L . Dutch normative data and psychometric properties for the Distress Thermometer for Parents. Qual Life Res. 2016; 26(1):177-182. PMC: 5243897. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-016-1405-4. View

18.

Carlson L, Zelinski E, Toivonen K, Sundstrom L, Jobin C, Damaskos P . Prevalence of psychosocial distress in cancer patients across 55 North American cancer centers. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2018; 37(1):5-21. DOI: 10.1080/07347332.2018.1521490. View

19.

Ownby K . Use of the Distress Thermometer in Clinical Practice. J Adv Pract Oncol. 2019; 10(2):175-179. PMC: 6750919. View

20.

Egberts M, Engelhard I, van de Schoot R, Bakker A, Geenen R, van der Heijden P . Mothers' emotions after pediatric burn injury: Longitudinal associations with posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms 18 months postburn. J Affect Disord. 2020; 263:463-471. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.140. View