Lee Hyun Jeong, Lee Kwang-Min, Jung Dooyoung, Shim Eun-Jung, Hahm Bong-Jin, Kim Jong-Heun
Mental Health Clinic, National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10408 Republic of Korea.
Public Health Medical Service, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080 Republic of Korea.
Biopsychosoc Med. 2017 May 1;11:12. doi: 10.1186/s13030-017-0097-5. eCollection 2017.
Psycho-oncology in Korea was introduced among the circle of consultation-liaison psychiatrists, in the 1990s. For almost 25 years, the field has been developing at a steady pace as the psychosocial needs of patients with cancer continue to increase. In this study, we review the history of psycho-oncology in Korea, in a chronological order, within the domains of clinical practice, research activity, training, and public policy.
Before the 1990s, patients with cancer with psychiatric comorbidities were usually taken care of by consultation-liaison psychiatrists in general hospitals. In 1993, psycho-oncology was first introduced by psychiatrists. Psychologists, nurses, and social workers have also been increasingly involved in providing psychosocial care for patients with cancer. Professionals from various disciplines began to communicate, and agreed to found the Korean Psycho-Oncology Study Group (KPOSG) in 2006, the first academic society in this field. In 2009, National Cancer Center published the "Recommendations for Distress Management in Patients with Cancer", which are consensus-based guidelines for Korean patients. In 2014, the KPOSG was dissolved and absorbed into a new organization, the Korean Psycho-Oncology Society (KPOS). It functions as a center of development of psycho-oncology, publishing official journals, and hosting annual conferences. There are many challenges, including, low awareness of psycho-oncology, presence of undertreated psychiatric disorders in patients with cancer, shortage of well-trained psycho-oncologists, stigma, and suicide risk. It is important to improve the cancer care system to the extent that psycho-oncology is integrated with mainstream oncology. Considering the socio-cultural characteristics of Korean cancer care, a Korean model of distress management is being prepared by the KPOS.
This article provides an overview of the development, current issues, and future challenges of psycho-oncology in Korea. Through its long journey to overcome the many barriers and stigmas of cancer and mental illnesses, psycho-oncology is now acknowledged as an essential part of integrated supportive care in cancer. Active research and international cooperation can gradually shape the Korean model of distress management.
韩国的心理肿瘤学于20世纪90年代在会诊联络精神科医生圈子中被引入。在近25年里，随着癌症患者心理社会需求持续增加，该领域一直在稳步发展。在本研究中，我们按时间顺序回顾韩国心理肿瘤学在临床实践、研究活动、培训和公共政策领域的历史。
20世纪90年代之前，患有精神疾病合并症的癌症患者通常由综合医院的会诊联络精神科医生照料。1993年，精神科医生首次引入心理肿瘤学。心理学家、护士和社会工作者也越来越多地参与为癌症患者提供心理社会护理。来自不同学科的专业人员开始交流，并于2006年同意成立韩国心理肿瘤学研究小组（KPOSG），这是该领域的第一个学术协会。2009年，韩国国立癌症中心发布了《癌症患者痛苦管理建议》，这是针对韩国患者的基于共识的指南。2014年，KPOSG解散并并入一个新组织——韩国心理肿瘤学会（KPOS）。它作为心理肿瘤学的发展中心，出版官方期刊并主办年度会议。存在许多挑战，包括心理肿瘤学认知度低、癌症患者中存在治疗不足的精神疾病、训练有素的心理肿瘤学家短缺、污名化和自杀风险。将心理肿瘤学与主流肿瘤学整合，改进癌症护理系统很重要。考虑到韩国癌症护理的社会文化特征，KPOS正在准备韩国痛苦管理模式。
本文概述了韩国心理肿瘤学的发展、当前问题和未来挑战。通过其漫长的历程来克服癌症和精神疾病的诸多障碍与污名，心理肿瘤学如今被视为癌症综合支持护理的重要组成部分。积极的研究和国际合作可逐步塑造韩国痛苦管理模式。
