BackgroundPsychosocial needs of adolescent & young adults (AYA) with cancer differ significantly from those of children and adults. Age-based assessments are crucial to best practice psychosocial care for young people. However, there is a paucity of appropriate tools available to facilitate this assessment, with clinicians largely relying on paediatric or adult measures assumed to be “good enough”.
In 2011 a comprehensive psychosocial screening/assessment tool, care plan template and implementation guideline were developed through Australian collaboration. The tool is based on the validated HEADSS assessment1 and four essential elements of AYA care including: developmentally appropriate communication, confidentiality, engagement and family-systems approaches.
ONTrac at Peter Mac Victorian AYA Cancer Service supports approximately 100 new AYA patients each year. It also supports professionals caring for the additional 200 patients diagnosed in Victoria annually through a comprehensive secondary consultation service. To promote consistent psychosocial care for all young people, regardless of location of care, ONTrac developed a state-wide training program in 2012 to support the Victorian implementation of the AYA psychosocial tool.
MethodA total of 75 professionals participated in the education program involving training on AYA needs, the tool development and its use. This has been supported by a state-wide AYA multidisciplinary meeting incorporating Paediatric/AYA/Adult Oncology, Adolescent Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health and provides advice/guidance to assist with ongoing care-planning for professionals across Victoria.
DiscussionThe program was effective in practice change, with participants reporting increased confidence in assessing AYA needs. Understanding the tool and the overall quality of the program were also rated as good/excellent for all. This presentation will discuss tool development and the implementation process highlighting some arising barriers. It will demonstrate the importance of consolidating the psychosocial screening of AYA with cancer across Victoria with data captured over a 12 month period by ONTrac at Peter Mac.