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. 2025 Mar 26;33(4):323.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09385-x.

Screening for psychological distress in cancer care: prevalence and predictive factors among Italian patients using the Concerns and Help Identifier for Medical Patients Checklist

Cormio Claudia  1 , Rieti Erika  1 , Lagattolla Fulvia  2 , Milella Pietro  1 , Romito Francesca  1 , Mirenghi Claudia  1 , De Summa Simona  3 , Vitale Elsa  4 , Fontana Roberta  1 , Mongelli Lorenzo  1 , Mitchell Alex  5 , Acquati Chiara  6   7
Affiliations

Screening for psychological distress in cancer care: prevalence and predictive factors among Italian patients using the Concerns and Help Identifier for Medical Patients Checklist

Cormio Claudia et al. Support Care Cancer. .

Abstract

Purpose: Psychological distress is highly prevalent among cancer patients. Although several scientific and professional organizations developed guidelines and tools for screening, implementation barriers in cancer care persist. Therefore, it seems to be critical to effectively introduce tools and triage systems that can identify patients' source of distress. The study aims to investigate prevalence and predictors of psychological distress experienced by a mixed sample of adult cancer patients using the Italian version of the Concerns and Help Identifier for Medical Patients (CHIMP_C) Checklist, in order to quickly detect distress.

Methods: In 2023, 240 adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy at the Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo II" in Bari completed the Emotion Thermometers (ET) and the CHIMP_C Checklist. Socio-demographic and clinical factors were collected from medical records. Pearson and Spearman correlations, chi-square tests, and binomial logistic regressions were performed to investigate prevalence and predictors of psychological distress.

Results: Most participants were female (68.3%), with breast cancer being the most common diagnosis (28.7%). Our findings revealed a significant prevalence of distress (49.58%, with DT scores ≥ 5). Notably, emotional and personal concerns emerged as key predictors and risk factors for elevated ET scores.

Conclusion: The combined use of the CHIMP_C Checklist alongside the Emotion Thermometers (ET) could suggest a way for clinicians to identify multifaceted factors contributing to psychological distress in cancer patients during active treatment. This approach not only is focused on facilitating the initiation of timely psychological interventions but also can improve patient access to comprehensive therapeutic programs, thereby enhancing overall quality of care.

Keywords: CHIMP_C; Cancer care; Distress screenings; Emotion Thermometers; Psychological distress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Scientific Board and Ethics Committee of IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” of Bari, Italy (N°1188/CE). The study took place within a wider 3-year research project in psycho-oncology: “Traduzione e Validazione della Versione Italiana della Checklist Concerns and Health Identifier for Medical Patients (CHIMP_Cancer)” – Delib. n.91/2024, Linea di ricerca n.2: “Le sperimentazioni cliniche nell’era dell’oncologica di precisione”. Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Disclaimer: The authors affiliated to the IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” of Bari, Italy, are responsible for the views expressed in this article, which do not necessarily represent the Institute.

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