Psychosocial Factors In Preventive Health And Cancer Treatment Related Adjustment Disorders
One area of research focuses on screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is one of the most preventable, but least prevented cancers. With collaborations in the Department of Gastroenterology, current studies are investigating what prevents people from participating in the recommended CRC screening practices. Information gained from this research will be used to develop methods to increase CRC screening.

Another research project focuses on adjustment problems in survivors of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) used in the treatment of their leukemia. The research of Katherine DuHamel, Ph.D. has shown that the majority of such survivors experience some symptoms of a stress reaction. Thirteen percent of BMT survivors had severe stress responses similar to those found in survivors of traumas such as rape, combat, or burn injury. A current clinical trial is evaluating psychological intervention designed specifically to reduce cancer survivors' stress symptoms after BMT.

In collaboration with Mt. Sinai's Pain Management and Medical Oncology divisions, another area of investigation focuses on how to decrease metastatic breast cancer patients' pain. Unfortunately 60% to 90% of these patients experience pain. Poor communication between patients and their physicians as been identified as a key barrier to metastatic breast cancer patients' adequate pain management. Dr. DuHamel is helping to develop a pain communication skills intervention to improve patient-physician communication, which will in turn improve patients' pain management and quality of life.