Endocrine Abstracts

Each patient experience of diagnosis and treatment for Acromegaly is unique. For some the process is simple and straightforward, for others it is more challenging. For patients the condition is more than just the identification and treatment of the tumour: there are several important psychosocial issues with potentially far-reaching effects. Patients may feel disempowered from raising concerns about the wider psychosocial aspects of Acromegaly with healthcare professionals (HCPs), feeling that only physical symptoms related to the disease, or its medical management are the only issues worthy of discussion at clinic appointments. HCPs who provide care consistent with the biomedical model may unwittingly reinforce this message. Research has suggested that patient distress associated with these wider psychosocial issues may not be identified by healthcare professionals (HCPs), resulting in patients with problems with treatment adherence, significant morbidity, additional use of primary and secondary care services, as well as patient dissatisfaction with care. This session will briefly review the key psychosocial issues faced by patients with Acromegaly before turning to consider what tools and techniques are available to help HCPs identify these issues with their patients. It is not reasonable to expect a busy endocrine clinic to act as a one-stop-shop for all the psychosocial difficulties that can affect patients with Acromegaly, and so we will also consider what other services and resources are available that patients can be directed towards.