Update on psychosocial research on leukaemia for social work practitioners

This article describes an Australian initiative that has undertaken the challenge of establishing a permanent psychosocial research program on leukaemia and associated haematological disorders to inform service provision and policy development for patients and their families. The description of this initiative is set in the context of a summary of the present research that exists in this area. This research indicates that this is a group of patients with a high rate of morbidity who, along with their family and carers, are vulnerable to physical, social, emotional and spiritual distress. The discussion concludes with a description of research projects that are presently being undertaken to extend our understanding of the psychosocial issues associated with these diagnostic groups.