Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

A psychosocial support program from Mamak Municipality  in Turkey for breast cancer patients; psychodrama group therapy and collaboration with the patients for screening and early diagnosis in the community.  (#252)

Derya Iren Akbiyik 1 , Ozlem Suvak 1 , Yildiz Yardimci 2
  1. Ministry of Health, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, CANKAYA, Turkey
  2. Family Medicine, Mamak Family Health Center, Ankara, Turkey

Mamak which is one of the biggest municipalties in Ankara Turkey, works hard to improve health projects especially in cancer early diagnosis and psychosocial support in cooperation with training hospitals and the public, showing the power and responsibilities of local authorities. Psychodrama group therapies and breast cancer screening by the cooperation of the patient was the two main targets included in the content of the presented program.

According the list of breast cancer patients provided by a nurse team and the family physicians in Mamak Municipality population, the patients were invited to participate psychodrama group therapy sessions two hours once in a week . The sessions were semistructured considering the basic needs of the patients . However, the theme for each session was very often decided  on site spontaneously.  The psychodrama group sessions primarily targeted to support and  strengthen the patients after the cancer diagnosis.

The second important step in the project was to organize the patients who participated in the group sessions to work voluntarily to encourage their neighbourhood to go for the breast cancer screening. The attempt spread like a snowball.

The presentation will mainly focus on the patients' needs and expectations and the possibilities by which local authorities can support national health policies.