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Definition

The type of psychosocial service a person with cancer is referred to as part of their cancer treatment or follow-up, as represented by a code.

Components

Data Element (this item)

Representation

This representation is based on the value domain for this data element, more information is available at " Psychosocial services type code N[N] ".
Data Type Number
Format N[N]
Maximum character length 2
Values
Value Meaning Start Date End Date
Permissible Values 2 Psychologist
1 Psychiatrist
3 Social worker
4 Specialist nurse or nurse counsellor
5 Cancer or volunteer support group
6 Individual peer support
7 Counsellor or bereavement counsellor
8 Pastoral care
9 Community services
Supplementary Values 97 Not applicable-patient not referred to psychosocial services
98 Unknown whether patient referred to psychosocial services
99 Patient referred to psychosocial services but type not stated/inadequately described

Comments

Guide for use:

Record the psychosocial service a person with cancer was referred to. Where multiple psychosocial services were referred to, this item should be recorded multiple times.

Referral to psychosocial services will generally come from a person with cancer's primary treatment clinician or GP.

The person diagnosed with cancer experiences a range of practical, psychological, physical and emotional difficulties. For example, these may include coping with the shock of their diagnosis and fears over their health and future. They may experience physical symptoms and treatment-related adverse effects such as nausea, fatigue and a general decline in functioning. There may be changes in their role and family functioning, occupational or employment status, and financial status. Some will have to come to terms with progressive illness and approaching death.

The opportunity to access psychosocial services may be limited for some patients by local circumstances and the availability of resources such as access to psychiatrists, clinical psychologists or specialist oncology nurses.

Comments:
This information is used to evaluate the quality of psychosocial care for patients with cancer, and may have implications for access to, and the provision of, cancer services.

References

National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre and National Cancer Control Initiative 2003. Clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer. Camperdown, NSW: National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre

Cancer Institute NSW & NSW Health Department 2006. NSW clinical cancer registration: minimum data set data dictionary, version 1.9. Sydney: Cancer Institute NSW


This content Based on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare material. Attribution provided as required under the AIHW CC-BY licence.

Related content

Relation Count
Input in Derivations 0
Output in Derivations 0
Inclusion in Data Set Specifications 1
Inclusion in Data Distributions 0
As a numerator in an Indicator 0
As a denominator in an Indicator 0
As a disaggregation in an Indicator 0