Overview

COSA has developed updated Guidelines for the psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer in partnership with the Behavioural Sciences Unit at UNSW Sydney with funding facilitated by Canteen, as part of the Youth Cancer Services program funded by the Australian Government.

Details on this project

These guidelines will replace the guidance for healthcare professionals titled Psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer, published by COSA in 2012.

The updated guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations and good practice statements to assist healthcare professionals in recognising and meeting the particular psychosocial needs of AYAs with cancer in Australia.

They provide psychosocial information on the following key areas for AYAs with cancer:

- Recommendations for delivering health care
- Recommendations for clinical management
- Recommendations for acute psychosocial care
- Recommendations for post-acute psychosocial care
- Recommendations for treatment and side effects
- Recommendations for enhancing well-being
- Recommendations for life outside cancer
- Recommendations for relationships
- Recommendations for progressive and incurable cancer

Public consultation

The draft Guidelines for the psychosocial management of AYAs diagnosed with cancer were open for public consultation from 30 September 2024 to 18 October 2024.

COSA received excellent feedback from members and other stakeholders, including patient representatives.

All feedback will be considered by the Working Group members, particularly the lead author/s of the relevant sections. Where appropriate, modifications will be made to the draft guidelines. The final version will be available via the COSA website in early 2025.

COSA would like to sincerely thank the multidisciplinary Working Group for their contribution to this worthwhile project, chaired by Dr Ursula Sansom-Daly, and the Research Team behind the update – Dr Hayley Griffin and Dr Rachel Houweling.