Developing an Educational Visual Tool to Support Families Considering Whole-Exome Sequencing in Japan.

Cancer diagnoses profoundly disrupt patients’ lives, triggering psychological stress that can persist for years. A register-based study from Sweden, whose healthcare system is similar to the Danish system, found that the risk of mental disorders begins to rise approximately 10 months before a cancer diagnosis, peaks during the first week after confirmation, and, although it decreases thereafter, remains elevated up to 10 years post-diagnosis []. The diagnostic phase marks the start of the cancer journey, during which patients rely on personal resilience and support networks. Self-efficacy is central in managing distress in cancer care. According to Bandura, self-efficacy reflects beliefs that underpin motivation, well-being, and personal fulfillment in specific contexts, such as navigating through the trajectory of a cancer diagnosis and treatment []. Patients with higher self-efficacy experience less pain and fatigue [, ], and with greater overall well-being and quality of life [, ]. Measures to enhance self-efficacy may include psychosocial care, support from family, friends, patient organizations, psychologists, and healthcare professionals [, ]. Self-efficacy can be assessed using validated instruments, and for coping with cancer, the brief version of the Cancer Behavior Inventory (CBI-B) has been validated and widely used []. The Canadian nurse navigation can be used to identify patients who may benefit from interventions or require referral to psychosocial resources []. An important factor to develop a high level of self-efficacy during treatment are healthcare professionals who are devoted to maintain continuous contact with patients []. Special educated nurse navigators might be the most appropriate through their special knowledge and ability to interact within the healthcare system. By a maintained direct contact with the patient, they can undertake tasks that address patients’ emotional support and education [, ]. The concept of nurse navigation has been shown to enhance patient adherence to both examinations and treatment, reduce the length of hospital stay, and alleviate patient anxiety in some cohort studies [, , ], but not in others [, ]. Overall, precise guidance on psychosocial care to enhance self-efficacy in patients with cancer is lacking.