Wayne A. Bardwell, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, director, Patient & Family Support Service, Doris Howell Service Moores, University of California, San Diego, Cancer Center, expresses the importance of listening and understanding a patient’s troubles in order to fully care for their psychosocial needs.

As a culture our first inclination is to help people solve their problems. In many cases it can be far more beneficial to listen as opposed to taking action. The power of listening is undervalued in our society and is extremely important to convey understanding.

To support his point Bardwell reverses a common idiom and uses the expression, "Don't just do something, stand there." This expression calls for individuals to not take immediate action and requires thorough understanding and listening. This idea is essential for nurses and doctors in order to demonstrate an understanding of the patient’s situation and what is causing them difficulty.

Bardwell feels the worse thing a practitioner can do is say there is nothing to fear. This leaves the patient feeling misunderstood; to them there are plenty of things to worry about. First time or relapsed cancer patients will always have some degree of fear.

Clinicians should advise their patients that fear is understandable, a plan is in place, and every possible resource will be used to help them. Assuring the patient their care involves coordination with a multidisciplinary team and every possible resource will help them feel understood and more at ease.

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Dr. Wayne Bardwell from UCSD Cancer Center Expresses the Importance of Listening

Dr. Bardwell Expresses the Importance of Listening

Wayne A. Bardwell, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, director, Patient & Family Support Service, Doris Howell Service Moores, University of California, San Diego, Cancer Center, discusses his research into the connection between objective cancer-related variables and depression symptoms in breast cancer patients.

The depression symptoms analysis was completed as part of the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) study that examined the effects of dietary intervention on 3088 women following the completion of treatment for early-stage breast cancer. Data was collected before and after the introduction of the dietary intervention and tested against 27 potential risk factors that predict depression. Each factor was measured using various instruments that were selected based on social cognitive theory.

The results of the study were counterintuitive. Objective cancer-related factors, such as intensity of treatment and length of time from diagnosis, as well as health-related factors, such as side effects and physical activity, did not play a role in developing depression. The lead cause of depression stemmed from psychosocial factors such as insomnia, support groups, and being comfortable expressing feelings. These psychosocial issues are very similar to the cause of depression in the general population.

The trial concluded that depressive symptoms are not associated with objective cancer-related factors but are connected to subjective psychosocial variables.

Dr. Wayne Bardwell from UCSD Cancer Center on Cancer-Related Variables and Depression

Dr. Bardwell on Cancer-Related Variables and Depression

Wayne A. Bardwell, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, director, Patient & Family Support Service, Doris Howell Service Moores, University of California, San Diego, Cancer Center, summarizes the discussion he gave at the 3rd Annual National Coalition of Oncology Nurse Navigators (

) conference on addressing the psychosocial needs of cancer patients.

The system of assessing the psychosocial needs can be defined as treating the patient around the tumor. The clinician treats the tumor while the psychiatrist treats not only the patient but also the family of the patient because they act as the support system.

Bardwell worked to create a plan that facilitates the process of alleviating the psychosocial stress a patient endures during screening and treatment for cancer. This plan was built in conjunction with the standards put in place by the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS). Once completed the plan was adopted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and is being implemented across the country.

Cancer has the ability to provide a profound and meaningful existential opportunity not only for the patient but also for the caregiver. In order to provide the best treatment those assessing psychosocial needs must put themselves in the roles of the cancer patient and imagine how they would perform if they were threatened by cancer.

Dr. Wayne Bardwell from the UCSD Cancer Center Discusses Psychosocial Needs of Cancer Patients

Wayne A. Bardwell, PhD, MBA

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Dr. Bardwell Expresses the Importance of Listening

Dr. Bardwell on Cancer-Related Variables and Depression

Dr. Bardwell on Psychosocial Needs of Cancer Patients