Dr. John Oliffe

2006 Career Investigator Award, Scholar

The role of Prostate cancer support groups (PCSGs) in health promotion

There is a significant body of research that describes the psychosocial, rehabilitation and health needs of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. These needs cannot always be met by professional health care services, particularly in the case of health promotion programs intended to help men with prostate cancer maintain and optimize their health and well being. While more and more men are accessing community-based support services such as Prostate Cancer Support Groups, little is known about whom these groups serve, what services they offer, and how they are funded.

Dr. John Oliffe is exploring the role of Prostate Cancer Support Groups in health promotion, and determining how men’s health and illness behaviours are informed and influenced through attending these support groups. Through a better understanding of how these groups operate, he hopes to develop recommendations about how best to support this type of resource, and identify potential ways to integrate the groups with professional health care services. This work will help inform future content, design and implementation of prostate cancer health promotion programs.

Back to 2006 Career Investigator Awards