Psycho-educational intervention on mood in patients suffering from colorectal and anal cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Psycho-educational interventions can moderate the negative impact of cancer on patients' mental wellbeing, although studies of the effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are scarce. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to test whether a nurse-led psycho-educational programme (PEP) could affect the emotional wellbeing of persons being treated for CRC and anal cancer. A secondary aim was to test whether there were any differences in emotional wellbeing in the patients before undergoing a PEP compared to a subset of the Swedish population. A randomized controlled trial was used. In total, 86 patients were randomized either to a PEP comprising seven lectures followed by discussions and reflections with peers or to standard treatment. Mental wellbeing was measured with the Mood Adjective Check List. The PEP significantly (p<0.04) increased the patients' overall mood one month after the end of the intervention. The PEP seemed to have a short-term effect on patients' overall mood. Other outcomes such as self-efficacy could be useful measures when evaluating PEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]