Focusing on coping with a diagnosis of gynaecological cancer - and improving outcomes for women (#38)
Outcomes for women diagnosed with gynaecological cancer are poor, but slowly improving. Survival rates have increased significantly with 67.3% of women now surviving for five years after diagnosis (Carpenter & Andersson 2008). However, this rate is still low in comparison to an 89.4% survival rate of women with breast cancer at the same 5 year interval (Cancer Australia 2013b). Despite improved mortality rates, women with gynaecological cancer are at high risk of poor quality of life (QOL) outcomes following their cancer treatment. The invasive nature of treatment and its many side effects can cause significant changes to women’s body image, function and interpersonal relationships (Griemel et al 2009, Bergmark et al 1999). This includes low general wellbeing, poor capacity for resilience, and unhealthy psychological adjustment (Diaz-Montes & Kimmel 2013, Stafford et al 2013, Arden-Close 2009). These consequences can result in hasty decision making which can include withdrawing or interrupting treatment pathways, with little understanding by women of the consequences both for themselves, and their immediate family and social relationships. This presentation will report on the outcomes of a study using an evidence based social intervention, SoNeT (Joubert, Harvey, Spittal, Hill, 2013) which was effective in supporting the coping strategies of women, enabling them to have a positive patient experience, improved patient defined well-being and increased capacity to make informed decisions about managing their treatment pathway. This cost effective, easily accessed intervention can be delivered across cancer services as part of routine care.