This textbook on palliative social work is a companion volume to the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine and the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing. To that end, this chapter will accomplish the following:
♦ The term screening is not interchangeable with assessment.
♦ Screening identifies patients that need to take priority for assessment.
♦ Assessment should be based on the needs and concerns of patients as documented in the relevant biopsychosocial-spiritual literature.
♦ Evidence-based interventions, such as problem-solving education, can benefit both patients and family caregivers in terms of management of distress and symptoms related to disease.
