The Distress Thermometer Problem List (DT-PL) is a tool used to assess the emotional and practical problems that affect the lives of patients, usually in cases related to cancer or other serious illnesses. The DT-PL is used in conjunction with the Distress Thermometer (DT), which is a scale that measures the level of general distress or “ignorance” experienced by the patient.

Description

The DT-PL includes a list of various problems that may cause stress or distress, such as:
Emotional Problems: Depression, anxiety, anger, or fear.
Practical Problems: Financial issues, problems with work or daily life.
Physical Problems: Pain, fatigue, or other physical discomforts.
Social and Family Problems: Relationships with family, social isolation, or lack of support.

Analysis

The analysis of the Distress Thermometer Problem List (DT-PL) includes:
Data Collection: Patients complete the problem list, noting which of the listed issues are affecting them and to what extent.
Severity Evaluation: The highlighted problems are evaluated to determine their severity and their impact on the patient’s daily life.
Intervention Strategies: Based on the identified problems, intervention strategies are developed to support the patient.
This analysis helps target problems that need immediate intervention and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Goal

The goal of the Distress Thermometer Problem List (DT-PL) is to:
Identify Practical and Emotional Problems: Recognize the issues affecting the patient’s life and contributing to general distress.
Tailor the Intervention: Guide the design of personalized intervention and support strategies.
Improve Quality of Life: Contribute to improving the patient’s daily life by addressing the identified problems.

Scoring

The scoring of the Distress Thermometer Problem List (DT-PL) includes:
Data Collection and Categorization: Collect the problems reported by the patient and categorize them for analysis.
Severity Evaluation: Assess the severity of each problem based on the patient’s report.
Feedback and Support: Develop intervention strategies based on the collected data.

References

Fallowfield, L., & Jenkins, V. (2004). Distress Thermometer: A Fast and Effective Way to Assess Psychological Distress in Cancer Patients. European Journal of Cancer, 40(8), 1157-1161.
Mitchell, A. J., & Meader, N. (2014). Diagnostic Validity of Distress Thermometer and Problem List for Detecting Cases of Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Cancer Patients. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 91-100.
Holland, J. C., & Andersen, B. (2012). Distress Management: A Model of Care for Cancer Patients. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 16(3), 354-361.