Distress thermometer for preoperative screening of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

This study evaluates the association between distress, various demographic and medical variables, and the prevalence of psychosocial distress in preoperative patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. A total of 100 consecutive patients were recruited into the study and asked to complete the DT form with the Problem List questionnaire prior to surgical intervention, the average distress score was 5.7 ± 2.7. The distress score was neither correlated with age (r= -0.025; p=0.804), nor with tumor size (r= 0.028; p=0.785). General worries, anxiety, sadness, depression, pain, exhaustion, sleeping disorders, or problems with nutrition resulted in significantly higher distress scores compared to patients without these complaints. Individuals with a DT score of 5 or higher (p=0.006) were advised to seek out psychological support. Through the incorporation of an additional item on the questionnaire, individuals were able to indicate the wish for psychological help, regardless of their score. Data showed that the decision to accept psychological support was not influenced by the patient’s age (p=0.627). There is a strong correlation between a high DT score and emotional disorders, as well as physical problems