APOS is the only multidisciplinary organization in the United States dedicated to researching and treating the psychosocial aspects of cancer, and these students were among the few undergraduate researchers to present their work at this conference.
Four Elon students presented at the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) conference in Tucson, Arizona, in March. APOS is the only multidisciplinary organization in the United States dedicated to researching and treating the psychosocial aspects of cancer, and these students were among the few undergraduate researchers to present their work at this conference.
Under the mentorship of Cynthia Fair, professor and chair of the Department of Public Health, and Caroline Ketcham, professor and chair of the Department of Exercise Science, the multidisciplinary undergraduate students co-authored two research presentations.
Bridget Krol ’18 (exercise science), Sarah McCain ’18 (public health), Ashley Moats ’18 (biology) and Francesca Music ’19 (public health) presented two posters titled “Availability and Accessibility of Psychosocial Service Information on Websites of Top-Rated Children’s Cancer Hospitals” and “Translating Psychosocial Standards of Care into Assessment: A Tool for Advocacy.”
As students interested in entering the health care field, this research has been both enlightening and motivating to generate change in the standards of patient care. There is currently no organized method for patients and their families to access an understandable translation of the Standards of Psychosocial Care, and consequently, they are not accurately informed of the services available to them.
This discongruence in care provides a unique opportunity for cancer patients and their families to advocate for their psychosocial needs, their research has found. Health needs to address the whole person, which includes their psychosocial well being.
“With this research, we are promoting holistic care”, Music says.