Psychosomatic liaison service in hematological oncology: need for psychotherapeutic interventions and their realization.

Empirical investigations examining the psychosocial distress and need for care of inpatients with hematological malignancies are rare. Little is known about the use of psychotherapeutic interventions in routine care. To evaluate the psychosocial distress of hemato-oncological inpatients, the need for psychotherapeutic interventions and their realization in the framework of a psychosomatic liaison service has been assessed. Seventy-two patients from two hematological oncology wards underwent psychodiagnostic interviews and completed self-rating instruments, elucidating mental disorders, psychosocial distress, coping strategies, quality of life, treatment motivation and psychotherapeutic interventions. Using ICD-10 criteria, mental and behavioural disorders were diagnosed in 53% of patients. Professional assessment indicated a need for psychotherapeutic treatment in 49%, while 38% of the patients wished to receive psychological support. Actual intervention occurred for all patients in the bone marrow transplantation unit and for 23% of patients in the general hemato-oncological ward. There is considerable need for psychotherapeutic treatment which can only be handled within the framework of a liaison service in close cooperation with oncologists, nurses and mental health specialists.