Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group
Improving the emotional support and psychological care of people affected by cancer
The Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), a research centre based in the School of Psychology, is recognised internationally as hub of psycho-oncology and supportive care research excellence.
The Centre hosts the Executive Office of the National Cancer Australia funded cancer clinical trials group, an organisation of more than 2000 health professionals and researchers working to improve the psychological care of people affected by cancer.
The PoCoG aims to promote a culture of research excellence amongst psycho-oncology researchers at The University of Sydney. Achieving this enables us to lead new research collaborations nationally and internationally through a strategic focus on the emerging psycho-oncology research questions.
As a national clinical trials group, PoCoG aims to develop and evaluate psychological and supportive care interventions to improve the outcomes for patients and families affected by cancer and support the health professionals who provide their care. We undertake research that addresses underserved groups' unique health and well-being needs. We facilitate large-scale multi-centre studies that would be difficult for any one team to undertake.
Our research aims to reduce disparities in access and outcomes for First Nations Australians, older people with cancer, people with an experience of a poor prognosis cancer, people living in rural and regional Australia and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
PoCoG aims to develop and evaluate clinically relevant intervention research to reduce psychological symptoms of people affected by cancer.
PoCoG also conducts research to provide physical and emotional support to people experiencing symptoms and side effects due to cancer and its treatment.
We are interested in developing and evaluating interventions to support the emotional wellbeing of cancer carers.
Ensuring the accessibility of interventions and resources is a key aim of PoCoG. Digital interventions and the use of telehealth have the potential to improve access to cancer-specific interventions.
Improving delivery of psycho-oncology and cancer care requires evidence-based health service change interventions.
