Determining the Best Ways to Provide Psychological Support to Tasmanian Men Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and Their Loved One: What Works and for Whom? ($80,000)
A grant was awarded to a team led by Dr Jennifer Scott to part fund a statewide study ($50,000 from CCMRT; $30,000 from NW Medical Research Fund).
The project aims to explore the best ways to provide psycholgocial support to Tasmanian men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer, whilst respecting their autonomy. Few studies in the world have evaluated interventions to enhance adjustment in men with prostate cancer. There have been no published trials of psychological interventions that include men’s loved ones. The researchers have developed a unique self-help coping program for men and their loved ones. It involves a DVD plus guidebook. Diagnosis is a time when men must make difficult choices between treatments of similar efficacy, but with varying side effects. The self-help program teaches coping skills that help lower psychological stress so they can make treatment choices and manage other challenges posed by their cancer experience. The research will assess if the program helps people in their cancer adjustment and qualityof life.
The self-help program will be compared to a verison of theprogram that is offered face-toface to men and their support person and to usual care. This will help health professionals in the future to match the amount of psychological intervention they offer to men, with men’s levels of need.
Tasmania's Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust was established in 1991.