Psychosocial supportive care for children receiving stem cell transplantation: practice patterns across centers

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Pediatric Care

Background:

• Pediatric stem cell transplantation (SCT) carries risks for quality-of-life (QOL) deficits and late effects.
• Current supportive care practices for addressing these needs across pediatric centers are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine practice patterns in QOL screening, psychosocial support, and long-term follow-up care among pediatric SCT centers.
• To identify variations in supportive care delivery based on center type.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 65 centers within the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (82.2% response rate).
• Data collected included QOL screening practices, psychosocial interventions, and duration of follow-up care.

Main Results:

• Approximately 80% of centers screened for psychological distress and pain; fewer screened for fatigue, cognitive deficits, or spiritual concerns.
• Screening primarily used interviews, with limited use of standardized measures.
• Community-based centers showed higher screening rates for some deficits compared to academic centers.
• 60% offered support groups, 49.2% provided arts-in-medicine programs, and most centers offered extended follow-up (until age 21 or indefinitely).

Conclusions:

• Pediatric SCT centers should enhance QOL screening by addressing under-scrutinized domains and incorporating validated measures.
• The widespread provision of extended follow-up care is promising for monitoring long-term outcomes in pediatric SCT survivors.