OS05.4 Optimizing the assessment of psychosocial support and unmet needs in glioma patients and their caregivers in clinical practice - First results of the observational prospective “ERASMUS” Study

Objective: To optimize the assessment of received and requested psychosocial support by glioma patients in clinical practice and to assess distress and needs for support of patients’ caregivers. We provide results of the application of a “patients’ perspective questionnaire” (PPQ) applied for the first-time in glioma patients and first results of a caregiver survey. Methods: Patients harboring a glioma were assessed consecutively within their outpatient visits using the Distress Thermometer (DT, score ≥6 indicates significant burden), the EORTC-QLQ-C30+BN20 and the self-administered PPQ: First 9 items assess psychosocial distress by 5 step Likert-scales and respective support requested by patients. Next 10 items survey provided support and its subjective benefit for the individual patient. Last 7 items record support requested currently by patients (e.g. caregiver, physician etc.). In a subgroup, patients’ caregivers were assessed simultaneously by another questionnaire for caregivers developed for the study evaluating, inter alia, quality of life, distress and wish for support. Results: We prospectively enrolled 232 patients. 82% suffered from high-grade gliomas. Mean age was 52 years (range 20–87 yrs.). M:f ratio was1.25:1. Based on PPQ, we observed that 38% (87) of patients felt depressed, 44% (103) were anxious and 39% (91) tense/nervous. According to the results of PPQ, patients with DT ≥6 were significantly more often depressed, anxious and burdened due to the disease (p