College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
J Psychosoc Oncol. 2022;40(2):137-151. doi: 10.1080/07347332.2021.1942386. Epub 2021 Jun 29.
Few studies have examined the practices of U.S. oncology social workers since the implementation of distress screening. This study presents data about oncology social work practice behaviors, including participation in distress screening and interdisciplinary team integration.
Using a cross-sectional survey design, Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) members were invited to complete the anonymous web-based survey between June and September 2019.
AOSW members ( = 1116) were invited through email and listserv posts to participate in the survey with 533 (47.8%) responding.
A quantitative on-line survey was used to investigate demographics, distress screening roles and other practice behaviors. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the data.
Respondents engaged in a range of practice behaviors consistent with the Standards and Scope of Practice published by AOSW, primarily engaging in patient-focused work. They reported viewing their role as integrated with the interdisciplinary team. Respondents were highly involved in distress screening processes, primarily receiving referrals from distress screening but also collecting/reviewing screening results and referring patients to other providers based on those results.
Knowledge about the ways that oncology social workers enact their role across settings and locations could be useful to those developing effective and integrated psychosocial oncology programs, especially distress screening protocols. Specific knowledge about the practice behaviors of oncology social workers in the U.S. may also help to delineate the role from the work of other interdisciplinary oncology team members.
自实施痛苦筛查以来，很少有研究检查美国肿瘤社会工作者的实践情况。本研究介绍了肿瘤社会工作实践行为的数据，包括参与痛苦筛查和跨学科团队整合。
使用横断面调查设计，邀请肿瘤社会工作协会（AOSW）成员在 2019 年 6 月至 9 月之间完成匿名在线调查。
通过电子邮件和列表服务帖子邀请 AOSW 成员（n=1116）参加调查，其中 533 名（47.8%）做出回应。
使用定量在线调查来调查人口统计学，痛苦筛查角色和其他实践行为。对数据进行描述性分析。
受访者从事与 AOSW 发布的标准和实践范围一致的一系列实践行为，主要从事以患者为中心的工作。他们表示将自己的角色视为与跨学科团队的整合。受访者高度参与痛苦筛查过程，主要是从痛苦筛查中获得转介，但也收集/审查筛查结果，并根据这些结果将患者转介给其他提供者。
了解肿瘤社会工作者在不同环境和地点实施其角色的方式对于那些制定有效和综合的心理肿瘤学计划，特别是痛苦筛查协议的人可能是有用的。关于美国肿瘤社会工作者实践行为的具体知识也可能有助于从其他跨学科肿瘤学团队成员的工作中描绘出该角色。
