Psychosocial assessment for adolescents and young adults with cancer

Abstract

Adolescents and young adults with cancer have unique medical and psychosocial needs. In addition to efforts aimed at improving survival, there is acknowledgement of the need to understand how social and emotional outcomes can also be improved for this group of young people. Psychosocial assessment firstly provides an important means of understanding how cancer, its treatment, late effects and its management affect the developmental concerns of young people, Secondly, psychosocial screening also helps identify preventable behaviours that add to the risk burden of young people with cancer and helps guide counselling and anticipatory guidance. Finally, the assessment helps effect a long-term ma..