Azhani Amiruddin 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

Azhani Amiruddin

Existing adolescent and young adult (AYA) Oncology patients often face difficulties of not “fitting the mould” in paediatric and adult health services. Current studies have indicated the positive impact of having multidisciplinary teams supporting AYA patients and providing psychosocial support throughout the cancer treatment process. There is little research that discusses the intricacies of setting up an AYA Oncology service unique to the needs of existing complex psychosocial backgrounds. We reviewed the current literature to inform clinical psychology practice and contextualise the mental health concerns of AYA Oncology patients for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) populations of Western Sydney. By highlighting the similarities and differences the role the AYA Oncology Clinical Psychologist plays in comparison to other psychological services, we can identify the next steps in establishing optimum psychosocial care for CALD AYA Oncology patients with existing complex psychosocial backgrounds.