Delivering Care Consistent With the Psychosocial Standards-Provider Report: Implementing the Standards...

Evidence-based Standards for Psychosocial Care for Children with Cancer and their Families were published in 2015. Determining how often care delivery practices and approaches align with the Standards is important for understanding the reach of the Standards.

Medical (n = 73) and psychosocial (n = 99) providers from 129 of 197 (65%) Children's Oncology Group (COG) programs in the United States completed an online survey. Participants reported the frequency, timing, and psychosocial care delivery approaches for each Standard. Program size was considered, and the data were compared with those from a similar 2016 survey.

Using a 5-point scale, services consistent with the Standards are provided across programs-mean frequencies of 3.29-4.61 (5-point scale). Standards related to screening and monitoring (M = 4.42) are delivered more often than Standards related to intervention and support (M = 4.25), supportive care and bereavement (M = 3.88), and family and community (M = 3.72) (p < 0.001). Ratings of quality of care are near the midpoint of the scale. Findings are consistent with a 2016 report, although care related to family and community support was less frequent in 2023. Program size and provider discipline were not associated with quality or frequency.

Providers report that psychosocial care aligned with the Standards is generally provided and perceive quality of care positively. Variability in types of care, frequency, and quality, and lack of change from when the Standards were first published, highlight the importance of improving the implementation of evidence-based approaches.