Life questions
Development of the Existential and Spiritual Crisis Screener (SESC)
Introduction
Being diagnosed with cancer confronts people with the end of life and their own vulnerability. This confrontation may raise questions about the meaning of life in general and the meaning of their own lives. Whether these life questions have problematic consequences and can take the form of a crisis varies between patients. For some there is awareness of life questions without involving psychological suffering, while in other patients these questions can lead to a crisis. Because of the psychological problems that might accompany life questions and the need for support in cancer patients having these questions, the Screener Existential and Spiritual Crisis (SESC) is developed. The SESC may allow an indication of the nature of the problem (is there a problem in terms of meaning, spiritual and/or existential questions) and the severity of the problem.
Objectives
Development and evaluation of the SESC.
Methods
In total, 25 cancer patients will complete the SESC, followed by a brief interview in which we will make use of the EORTC debriefing questions (sample questions: "Were there any questions that are difficult to answer?", "Were there any questions that you found confusing?"). Following this investigation, items from the SESC may be modified or removed. The aim is to include 25 curatively treated cancer patients, whose treatment is completed for at least 3 months up to five years ago.
Future plans project "life questions"
This study is part of the project "Life questions after treatment for cancer: the right route to self-management and professional care". The aim of this project is the development and evaluation of the SESC and an intensification questionnaire. By means of these questionnaires, patients treated for cancer with a curative intent will be referred to the, for them, most optimal supportive care in the field of life questions.
Project duration
At the moment, the study is conducted in the department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery of the VUmc. End 2012 we expect the results.
Permission METC
The burden to the patient of this study is small and does not need the approval of Medical Ethics Committee (METC) of the VU University Medical Center.
Cooperation
In this project we work together with the Department of Clinical Psychology of the VU and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery of the VUmc.
Staff
Prof I.M. Verdonck-de Leeuw, PhD, Psychologist, Speech & Language Therapist, Linguïst, dpt. of Clinical Psychology, VU Faculty of Psychology and Education,
C.F. van Uden-Kraan, PhD, Communication Scientist, dpt. of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, VUmc
M. Heinen BSc, master student Clinical Psychology, VU Faculty of Psychology and Education
Questions?
For questions, please contact:
Nelly van Uden-Kraan, PhD, Communication Scientist
Email: cf.vanuden@vumc.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-4442757
News flashes
12 april 2013: KWF Kankerbestrijding / Alpe d’HuZes has granted the research proposal Netherlands Quality of life and Biomedical Cohort Studies in Cancer (NET-QUBIC).
Marieke de Bruijn will defend her PhD thesis on 10 juni 2013 at 15.45 pm.
Support our bicycle team for Alpe d'HuZes 2013!
On 6 June 2013 our team living together with cancer will cycle the Alpe d'HuZes! This in the fight against cancer. At this moment there is already more than 1500 euro donated. Do you support us too?
The 15th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology and Psychosocial Academy will be held in Rotterdam, 4-8 November 2013. www.ipos-society.org/ipos2013/.
29 January 2013. Pink Ribbon has granted a project to develop and evaluate an online training for cancer patients with insomnia (Annemieke van Straten), and a project to develop and evaluate a breast cancer module for the OncoKompas (Nelly van Uden).
Charity Symposium "Living with cancer"
On December 19, 2012 there will be a Symposium ''Living with Cancer''. This is a charity symposium on meaning centered psychotherapy for cancer patients. Read more about it at the tab News at the left.
15 November 2012: Hoe?Zo! Radio interview with Irma Verdonck on stress and cancer.
October 2012: Interview with Irma Verdonck in Psychologie Magazine.
September 9, 2012. Interview Hans van Willigenburg with Irma Verdonck on Radio 5.
August 2012. Five students finish their MSc thesis and graduate as MSc in Clinical PSychology.
June 28-30, 2012: International symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC ISOO) at New York. Kevin Yap and Irma Verdonck organise a workshop on e-health and supportive care.
Record for Alpe d'HuZes 2012. The sponsor action Alpe d'HuZes (6 and 7 June) 2012 has already yielded the record amount of 28.5 million euros.
June 6-8, 2012: Our research group contributes to Alpe d'HuZes as volunteers.
April 20, 2012: Nelly van Uden will give a presentation about OncoKompas at a conference about ICT in health care in Barcelona.
March 16, 2012: NVPO congress in Utrecht, we contribute with 2 oral and 2 poster presentations and a workshop.
January 1, 2012: The project POLARIS project has officially started.
December 22, 2011: Radio program DeGids.fm, Felix Meurders interviews Corien Eeltink on sexuality and cancer.
November 2, 2011: KWF / Alpe d'HuZes funds a grant for the development and evaluation of an online intervention for informal caregivers of cancer patients.
October 30, 2011 In the national television program "Gesprek op 2", Daphne Bunskoek interviewed Irma Verdonck on living with cancer.
October 28, 2011: www.oncokompas.nl is online!
October 23, 2011: Alpe d'HuZes hands over more than 20 million euros to the Dutch Cancer Society!
Team work
Our research projects are embedded in the two largest research institutes of VU University in Amsterdam: VUmc CCA-VICI (Cancer Center Amsterdam) www.vumc.nl/afdelingen/CCA-V-ICI/ and EMGO+ (Institute for Health and Care Research emgo.nl
We work closely with patients and their caregivers and with researchers and physicians at VU University and VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam and other research institutes and hospitals in the Netherlands and worldwide. Team work is crucial improving research and translating results into clinical practice.
