Published online April 23, 2007
PEDIATRICS Vol. 119 No. 5 May 2007, pp. e1159-e1166 (doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1514)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Klosky, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Merchant, T. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Klosky, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Merchant, T. E.
Related Collections
Right arrow Office Practice

ARTICLE

Predicting Pediatric Distress During Radiation Therapy Procedures: The Role of Medical, Psychosocial, and Demographic Factors

James L. Klosky, PhDa, Vida L. Tyc, PhDa,b, Xin Tong, MPHc, Deo Kumar Srivastava, PhDc, Mindy Kronenberg, PhDa, Alberto J. de Armendi, MDb,d and Thomas E. Merchant, DO, PhDb,e

a Divisions of Behavioral Medicine
d Anesthesiology and Departments of
e Radiation Oncology
c Biostatistics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
b Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee

OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this work was to identify demographic, medical, and psychosocial variables that predict radiation therapy–related distress among pediatric patients with cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. Seventy-nine children between the ages of 2 and 7 years were consecutively enrolled in the study. Radiation therapy–related distress was measured by rates of anesthesia, observed behavioral distress, and heart rate.

RESULTS. Younger age and higher observed behavioral distress predicted the use of anesthesia, higher baseline heart rate predicted lower initial observed behavioral distress, and prone treatment position was associated with increases in both observed behavioral distress and heart rate relative to baseline.

CONCLUSIONS. Modifiable treatment and psychological variables directly relate to pediatric radiation therapy–related distress. Implementation of developmentally appropriate and cost-effective interventions to reduce procedural radiation therapy distress is warranted.

Key Words: pediatric distress • radiation therapy • noninvasive medical procedures

Abbreviations: RT—radiation therapy • HR—heart rate • OBD—observed behavioral distress • ECOG—Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group • OSBD—Observation Scale of Behavioral Distress

Accepted Nov 1, 2006.