Distress: The Sixth Vital Sign?
In assessing a patient's condition, doctors traditionally check five vital signs -- pulse, breathing, temperature, blood pressure and pain. But one cancer physician wants to add another vital sign to the list -- distress.
A patient's mental well-being is an essential part of overall health and should be monitored -- even during routine medical examinations, said Dr. Jimmie C. Holland, who holds the Wayne E. Chapman Chair in Psychiatric Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in New York City.
"Can distress become the sixth vital sign?" Holland asked. "I ask this, because we must find a way to incorporate psychological care into total care," she said.
One big problem is that doctors often don't consider the psychological component of total health, and patients are reluctant to bring it up, because they don't want to bother the doctor, Holland said. Part of the barrier comes from the doctor -- "Hey, I'm doing science not touchy-feely stuff. And patients are going to tell me when they're upset," she said, paraphrasing a typical physician.
Holland believes that adding distress to regular evaluations leads to more open communication and encourages treatment; hence, fewer patients will become overly anxious, and there will be fewer patient visits because of worry.
Read more on this topic @ Distress
A patient's mental well-being is an essential part of overall health and should be monitored -- even during routine medical examinations, said Dr. Jimmie C. Holland, who holds the Wayne E. Chapman Chair in Psychiatric Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in New York City.
"Can distress become the sixth vital sign?" Holland asked. "I ask this, because we must find a way to incorporate psychological care into total care," she said.
One big problem is that doctors often don't consider the psychological component of total health, and patients are reluctant to bring it up, because they don't want to bother the doctor, Holland said. Part of the barrier comes from the doctor -- "Hey, I'm doing science not touchy-feely stuff. And patients are going to tell me when they're upset," she said, paraphrasing a typical physician.
Holland believes that adding distress to regular evaluations leads to more open communication and encourages treatment; hence, fewer patients will become overly anxious, and there will be fewer patient visits because of worry.
Read more on this topic @ Distress
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