Welcome to the website of DESIPOC!
This innovative EU4Health project aims to address the variation in psychosocial oncology care across Europe and improve mental health screening for patients, carers, families, and healthcare professionals.
The DESIPOC project aims to standardize psychosocial oncology care across Europe, enhancing support for patients, carers, and healthcare professionals by creating a digital knowledge hub. This platform will promote mental health screening, skills training, and best practice sharing, using AI and behavioural science frameworks to offer tailored interventions.
DESIPOC - Developing a sustained European initiative for monitoring and sharing practices in psychosocial oncology care provision.
DESIPOC stands for ‘Developing a sustained European initiative for monitoring and sharing practices in psychosocial oncology care provision’ and addresses the urgent challenges posed by cancer. To tackle these challenges, the Europe Beating Cancer Plan emphasizes the need for improved prevention, treatment, and psychosocial care. DESIPOC aims to develop an accessible online platform that facilitates coordination among EU Member States in implementing the EU Mission on Cancer priorities. The project focuses on preventing avoidable mental health deterioration through enhanced screening methods, optimizing diagnostics and treatment for tailored patient care, and supporting quality of life through personalized interventions. The platform will feature a virtual observatory as a knowledge hub to collect and share best practices, guidelines, and resources for psychosocial oncology. Ultimately, the project aligns with EU objectives to enhance mental health prevention and care for cancer patients, leveraging digital solutions to bridge gaps in psychosocial oncology care and ensuring that every patient receives the support they need.
Partners
Objectives
Specific Objective 1
Build Electronic Data Collection (EDC) tools by reviewing existing questionnaires, conducting focus groups for content development, testing for psychometric properties, and developing translation and cultural adaptation procedures. These tools will measure the factors contributing to psychosocial stress for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (Survey 1), as well as assess healthcare professionals’ skills in providing effective psychosocial oncology support (Survey 2).
Specific Objective 2
Gather best practices and lessons learned from participating Member States to create citizen-centered, evidence-based recommendations on how to effectively deliver psychosocial oncology care and help healthcare professionals screen for and address psychosocial issues.
Specific Objective 3
Conduct a thorough assessment of the factors causing psychosocial stress and identify the barriers and facilitators healthcare professionals face in providing psychosocial oncology care. This assessment will focus on understanding the needs of different population groups to inform a citizen-centered approach.
Specific Objective 4
Design and develop an easy-to-use, interactive virtual observatory (the DESIPOC platform) to share project results and promote their use across participating Member States, the EU/EEA, and beyond.
Specific Objective 5
Translate research findings from other work packages into actionable recommendations by collaborating with stakeholders to address barriers, fill knowledge gaps, and co-create practical solutions for implementation at regional, national, and European levels.
Project's target group
Healthcare Professionals
Oncologists: Doctors specializing in cancer treatment, who play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating cancer patients.
Nurses: Especially oncology nurses who provide care and support to cancer patients throughout their treatment journey.
Psychologists and Psychiatrists: Mental health professionals who address the psychological and emotional needs of cancer patients and survivors.
Social Workers: Professionals who assist patients and families in navigating the healthcare system and accessing necessary resources.
Policymakers
Health Ministry Officials: Government representatives responsible for creating and implementing health policies.
Public Health Experts: Specialists who develop strategies to improve public health outcomes, including cancer care.
Legislators: Elected officials who can influence healthcare laws and funding for cancer care initiatives.
NGOs
Cancer Support Organizations: Non-profits that provide support services, advocacy, and education for cancer patients and their families.
Patient Advocacy Groups: Organizations that represent the interests of cancer patients and work to improve their care and quality of life.
Research Foundations: NGOs that fund and conduct research to advance cancer treatment and care.
Citizens
Cancer Patients: Individuals currently undergoing cancer treatment who need comprehensive care and support.
Cancer Survivors: Individuals who have completed cancer treatment and require ongoing support to manage long-term effects and prevent recurrence.
Carers: Family members or friends who provide care and support to cancer patients and survivors.
General Public: Community members who may be affected by cancer and can benefit from increased awareness and education.
Stakeholder Representatives: Individuals who represent the interests and perspectives of the various target groups, ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed in the project.
Advisory Boards: Groups of experts and representatives who provide guidance and oversight to the project, ensuring it meets its objectives and serves the target populations effectively.