SOCIAL SCIENCES COURSE WORK

Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Abstract

The need for a better co-ordinated interdisciplinary approach to cancer is widely recognised. An analysis of strengths and weaknesses has emphasised the importance of a better understanding of the behavioural and social factors which determine the success of preventative and screening programmes and those which will enhance the quality of care and support available to patients and their families. The European Commission provided funds to establish a consultation to formulate a strategy for the development of research in the behavioural, social and related sciences relevant to cancer. The key objectives were to inform research organisations of the steps necessary to enhance research capacity in these areas and identify the most productive directions for research in the forseeable future. The expert group identified 11 areas in which research might be expected to improve cancer control and treatment.

Keywords: Cancer care; Cancer control; Europe; Interdisplinary approaches; Research ; Behavioural and social aspects of cancer

Table of Contents

Abstract2

1. Introduction3

2. Background3

3. The public health challenge3

4. The cancer care challenge3

5. The need for research co-ordination in europe3

6. Progress in the field3

7. Cancer prevention— research needs and opportunities3

8. Cancer screening— research needs and opportunities3

9. Cancer care— research needs and opportunities3

References3

1. Introduction

The need for a better co-ordinated interdisciplinary approach to cancer has been recognised at the European level. An analysis of strengths and weaknesses in current approaches to cancer research has highlighted a need to improve understanding of the behavioural and social factors which determine the success (or lack thereof) of preventive and screening programmes and enhance the quality of care and support available to patients and their families. This need has been emphasised at meetings held under the aegis of the European Union (EU), World Health Organization (WHO), International Union against Cancer (UICC), the European Cancer Leagues (ECL), the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), the European Cancer Research Managers Forum and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

An interactive consultation has been carried out with the support of the European Commission (DG Research) to develop a strategy through consensus on the approaches necessary to enhance European research capacity in the Behavioural and Social Sciences relevant to the prevention and management of cancer. This consultation brought together representatives of the major disciplines in the field. The specific objectives were to:

•identify research needs and opportunities on an interdisciplinary basis—highlighting the contributions which the research might make to the more effective control and care of cancer;

•encourage the development of constructive interdisciplinary links between those in the behavioural and social sciences and those in other disciplines;

•inform public health and research funding bodies of the health and social needs and research opportunities in the area.

The names of the participants are to be found in the appendix.

2. Background

Cancer is a major and a growing health problem worldwide. It causes untold distress to patients and their families. In the year 2000, 10 million people (5.3 million men and 4.7 million women) developed a malignant tumour and 6.2 million died from the ...