ObjectiveEmotional distress has been correlated with greater healthcare utilization and economic costs in cancer; however, the prospective relationship between positive distress screens and future healthcare utilization is less clear. Taken together, there is a critical need to synthesize studies examining the prospective relationship between emotional distress and future healthcare use to inform distress management protocols and motivate institutional resource allocation to distress management. The aim of the systematic review is to explore the relationship between emotional distress, measured via validated emotional distress questionnaires, and subsequent healthcare utilization in patients diagnosed with cancer.MethodsA systematic search of seven databases was conducted on 29 March 2022 and updated 3 August 2023. Eligibility criteria were: (1) peer‐reviewed, (2) quantitative or mixed methods, (3) adults (≥18 years) diagnosed with cancer, (4) cancer distress questionnaire(s) completed prior to healthcare utilization, and (5) written in English. Exclusion criteria included: (1) non‐emotional aspects of distress (i.e., spiritual or physical distress), (2) healthcare utilization characterized via economic or monetary variables, and (3) caregiver or non‐cancer populations.ResultsNineteen peer‐reviewed articles were included in the review. There was significant heterogeneity in emotional distress instruments and type of healthcare utilization used. Most studies examining general distress or anxiety found that increased distress was predictive of greater future healthcare utilization.ConclusionThe results suggest that individuals with higher levels of general distress and anxiety are at increased risk for future healthcare utilization.

中文翻译：

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肿瘤人群的情绪困扰和未来医疗保健利用：系统评价

目的情绪困扰与癌症的医疗保健利用率和经济成本增加相关。然而，积极的应激筛查与未来医疗保健利用之间的预期关系尚不清楚。总而言之，迫切需要综合研究情绪困扰与未来医疗保健使用之间的前瞻性关系，以告知压力管理方案并激励机构资源分配给压力管理。系统评价的目的是探讨通过经过验证的情绪困扰问卷测量的情绪困扰与诊断为癌症的患者随后的医疗保健利用之间的关系。方法于2022年3月29日对七个数据库进行了系统检索，并于2023年8月3日更新。资格标准为：(1) 同行评审，(2) 定量或混合方法，(3) 诊断患有癌症的成年人（≥18 岁），(4) 在接受医疗保健之前完成癌症困扰调查问卷，以及 (5 ）用英文写成。排除标准包括：(1) 非情感方面的困扰（即精神或身体困扰），(2) 以经济或货币变量为特征的医疗保健利用，以及 (3) 护理人员或非癌症人群。 结果 19 篇同行评审文章均被纳入审查范围。情绪困扰工具和所使用的医疗保健利用类型存在显着异质性。大多数检查一般性痛苦或焦虑的研究发现，增加的痛苦预示着未来更多的医疗保健利用。结论结果表明，一般性痛苦和焦虑水平较高的个人未来医疗保健利用的风险增加。