In this section
The Community and Applied Psycho-Oncology Research Program undertakes psychosocial research aimed at improving health outcomes for people affected by cancer.
This includes research aimed at promoting adjustment and reducing distress experienced by people diagnosed with cancer and their support persons. This research helps us to identify the best possible ways to support all people affected by cancer.
Current research projects
Beating the Blues after Cancer
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a major life stress that is followed by a range of well described psychological, social, physical and spiritual difficulties. Approximately 35 per cent of patients will experience persistent clinically significant distress and carers often experience even higher distress than patients. Thus, there is a clinical need to identify patients and family members experiencing high distress and once identified refer people to services that match their psychosocial care needs.
The Beating the Blues after Cancer (BBAC) project is assessing the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of accessible and affordable psychological interventions for distressed cancer patients and carers who contact community based Cancer Council Helplines. Accordingly, callers who contact the Cancer Council Helpline in Queensland and New South Wales will be screened for psychosocial distress and those callers with elevated distress will be recruited to participate in a randomised controlled trial with two study arms: minimal contact self-management vs. telephone-based psychological support.
This research will produce three important outcomes for health services planning: (1) recommendations about the efficacy of minimal contact self-management support vs. tele-based psychologist delivered cognitive behavioural intervention to facilitate better psychosocial adjustment and mental health for people with cancer and their carers; (2) an evidence-based, practical and applied approach to psychosocial care for people with cancer and their carers that can be rapidly translated into community and acute settings; and (3) information on the potential economic value of the intervention that can be used by health planners to help achieve efficient health service delivery.
| Staff involved | Collaborators | Funded by |
|---|---|---|
| Suzanne Chambers Jeff Dunn Sandy Hutchison Megan Dwyer Bronwyn Morris Brigid Hanley Sylvia Burns Samantha Clutton Hilary Sargeant Tracey Gardner Vanessa Bruce Val Goodwin Helen Maxwell Monica West |
Afaf Girgis (CHeRP/CCNSW) Stefano Occhipinti (Griffith University) Jane Turner (Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital) Robert Carter (Deakin University) Paula Vallentine (CCNSW) Martin Stockler (Sydney Cancer Centre) |
Cancer Australia and beyondblue |
Contact
More information
For more information about community and applied psycho-oncology research programs contact: Lisa Nielsen
