Psychosocial and educational aspects in prostate cancer patients.

Abstract

Prostate cancer was a neglected area in psycho-oncology. There is now a growing number of studies on the psychosocial aspects of having prostate cancer and the possibilities to reduce these problems in educational and group interventions. In this issue of Patient Education and Counseling, studies are presented on several psychosocial and educational aspects in prostate cancer patients: screening events and outcomes, assessing the unmet information, support and care delivery needs, reacting to the diagnosis of prostate cancer, informational needs of men on hormonal therapy, changes in health-related quality of life three months after the diagnosis, information-seeking behaviors and information needs of partners, quality of leaflets, video information in decision making, and patient perceptions and priorities in a rehabilitation program. Conclusions are presented on neglected research areas in psychosocial and educational aspects of living with prostate cancer.