Biomaterial Database

Working with people who have cancer: guidelines for physical therapists. 1991

T Küchler, and S Wood-Dauphinée

University of Hamburg Hospital Centre, West Germany.

Physical therapists are frequently called upon to aid in the physical rehabilitation of cancer patients. They also share responsibility for the psychosocial aspects of care with other members of the treatment team. The objective of this paper is to provide guidelines to assist physical therapists in providing psychosocial support to cancer patients referred for therapy around the time of diagnosis or during the initial treatment period. Normal and pathological responses of patients faced with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including shock, fear, anger, anxiety and depression, are noted. Special attention is given to the importance of common defense mechanisms--denial, regression, rationalization and projection--and the difficulties faced by caregivers in dealing with these defenses. Principles of psychosocial intervention appropriate for use by physical therapists are presented. Two general types are suggested: the first concerns the patient's responses and feelings about the disease and the second involves educating the patient about how to most effectively deal with the disease. Physical therapists have an obligation to provide more than physical restorative services for cancer patients; they should be able to offer psychosocial support in an effort to enhance successful rehabilitation and reintegration to normal living patterns.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009369	Neoplasms	New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms.	Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D010348	Patient Care Team	Care of patients by a multidisciplinary team usually organized under the leadership of a physician; each member of the team has specific responsibilities and the whole team contributes to the care of the patient.	Health Care Team,Interdisciplinary Health Team,Medical Care Team,Multidisciplinary Care Team,Multidisciplinary Health Team,Healthcare Team,Care Team, Health,Care Team, Medical,Care Team, Multidisciplinary,Care Team, Patient,Care Teams, Health,Care Teams, Patient,Health Care Teams,Health Team, Interdisciplinary,Health Team, Multidisciplinary,Healthcare Teams,Interdisciplinary Health Teams,Medical Care Teams,Multidisciplinary Care Teams,Multidisciplinary Health Teams,Patient Care Teams,Team, Health Care,Team, Healthcare,Team, Interdisciplinary Health,Team, Medical Care,Team, Multidisciplinary Care,Team, Multidisciplinary Health,Team, Patient Care,Teams, Interdisciplinary Health
D010814	Physical Therapy Department, Hospital	Hospital department which is responsible for the administration and provision of diagnostic and medical rehabilitation services to restore or improve the functional capacity of the patient.	Hospital Physical Therapy Department,Physical Therapy Departments, Hospital
D011369	Professional-Patient Relations	Interactions between health personnel and patients.	Contacting Clients,Pharmacist-Patient Relations,Professional Patient Relationship,Client, Contacting,Clients, Contacting,Contacting Client,Pharmacist Patient Relations,Pharmacist-Patient Relation,Professional Patient Relations,Professional Patient Relationships,Professional-Patient Relation,Relation, Pharmacist-Patient,Relation, Professional-Patient,Relations, Pharmacist-Patient,Relations, Professional-Patient,Relationship, Professional Patient,Relationships, Professional Patient
D003674	Defense Mechanisms	Unconscious process used by an individual or a group of individuals in order to cope with impulses, feelings or ideas which are not acceptable at their conscious level; various types include reaction formation, projection and self reversal.	Mechanisms, Defense
D005860	Germany, West	The former Federal Republic of Germany which was reunified with the former German Democratic Republic in 1990.	Federal Republic of Germany,Germany, Federal Republic of
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001007	Anxiety	Feelings or emotions of dread, apprehension, and impending disaster but not disabling as with ANXIETY DISORDERS.	Angst,Anxiousness,Hypervigilance,Nervousness,Social Anxiety,Anxieties, Social,Anxiety, Social,Social Anxieties
D026741	Physical Therapy Modalities	Therapeutic modalities frequently used in PHYSICAL THERAPY SPECIALTY by PHYSICAL THERAPISTS or physiotherapists to promote, maintain, or restore the physical and physiological well-being of an individual.	Physical Therapy,Physiotherapy (Techniques),Group Physiotherapy,Neurological Physiotherapy,Neurophysiotherapy,Physical Therapy Techniques,Group Physiotherapies,Modalities, Physical Therapy,Modality, Physical Therapy,Physical Therapies,Physical Therapy Modality,Physical Therapy Technique,Physiotherapies (Techniques),Physiotherapies, Group,Physiotherapy, Group,Physiotherapy, Neurological,Techniques, Physical Therapy,Therapy, Physical