Social work with cancer patients: stresses and coping patterns.

This article reports a study of the special stresses affecting the increasing number of social workers who work with cancer patients and their families. Related literature and research document the universally stressful effects of this chronic and life-threatening illness but offer little knowledge of the job stresses experienced by social workers providing services in hospitals. The nature of the stresses reported by social workers, the adequacy of supports to help them cope with the emotional impact of their work and the need for additional support programs are discussed.