Improving psychosocial outcomes in gynaecological cancers: an exploration of evidence, patient perspectives, and the feasibility of online Shared Read

Abstract
Research Purpose. NICE practice guidelines for the management of psychological distress in cancer
recommend offering psychosocial support during key illness stages. While previous literature has
demonstrated the effectiveness of this support in some cancer populations, the efficacy and prevalence
of psychological interventions in endometrial cancer specifically, has been neglected. Consequently, the
proposed PhD has three aims: (1) conduct a systematic review that synthesises existing studies on
available psychological treatments for the management of endometrial cancer (2) undertake a
qualitative study exploring what the psychoeducational needs of women with endometrial cancer are (3)
use findings from the previous two studies to conduct a feasibility study comparing Online Shared
Reading/Psychoeducation to a Psychoeducation-only control group, with the aim of identifying its efficacy
for mild to moderate psychological distress and quality of life. The inclusion of Patient and Public
Involvement (PPI) will further bridge previous research limitations. The aim is to make innovative
contributions and influence the direction of future clinical treatment guidelines. The significance of the
proposed PhD is that it ties in with the comprehensive model of personalised care in the NHS 10-year
plan and examines the effectiveness of Online Shared Reading as a potential targeted intervention for
endometrial cancer.
Keywords: Online Shared Reading (OSR), Endometrial Cancer (EC), Psychological Distress,
Psychoeducation, Self-efficacy, Quality of Life (QoL)