This Fellowship will focus on psychosocial issues in cancer, empowering patients to participate in their care, and improving communication between patients and health professionals. Research aims to reduce distress in immigrant, rural, advanced and young cancer patients and reduce fear of cancer recurrence in survivors; better understand the role of stress, coping and social support in the development of breast cancer; and improve communication about prognosis and end of life issues.
Using Healthcare Wisely: Psychosocial Interventions To Reduce Unnecessary Testing And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$763,845.00
Summary
Overuse of healthcare (use of unnecessary tests and treatments) is harming patients and diverting scarce health resources from where they are most needed. Effective communication of the problem to the public, patients, clinicians and policymakers is a prerequisite for behaviour change. This fellowship will develop a suite of communication-based interventions to reduce overuse and build a multidisciplinary workforce of researchers to address this urgent problem facing health systems globally.
I am a speech pathologist working with patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury or stroke. Brain injury is the leading cause of disability in young Australians with devastating life consequences. A common problem is communication difficulties, which leads to relationship breakdowns, unemployability, and social isolation. This Fellowship will deliver innovative communication treatments to improve the social outcomes of people with brain injury, their families and the community.