title: Expanding the Oncofertility Workforce: Training Allied Health Professionals to Improve Health Outcomes for Adolescents and Young Adults.
abstract: As cancer survivors live longer, fertility and reproductive health become important health concerns. Like other secondary effects of cancer treatment, these anticipated health risks should be addressed before the initiation of cancer treatment. While existing and emerging technologies may prevent or reduce risk of infertility (e.g., sperm, oocyte, embryo, or tissue banking), the lack of a trained workforce knowledgeable about oncology and reproductive health poses a barrier to care. The allied health professional (AHP) is a target of opportunity because of the direct and sustained patient relationships. Thus, developing tailored educational programs for nurses, social workers, psychologists, and physician assistants is an urgent unmet need toward field building. In this report, we outline results from a pilot study evaluating AHP perceptions of an oncology and reproductive health curriculum originally developed for nurses and adapted to meet the needs of several other AHP groups.
authors.affiliation: 1 Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center , Tampa, Florida.|2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida , Tampa, Florida.
authors.forename: Gwendolyn P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois.
authors.forename: Teresa K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Caprice A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: 1 Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center , Tampa, Florida.
authors.forename: Meghan Lorraine
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.affiliation: 5 Alliance for Fertility Preservation , Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinecke
authors.affiliation: 1 Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, Moffitt Cancer Center , Tampa, Florida.|2 Department of Oncologic Sciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida , Tampa, Florida.
authors.forename: Susan T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Vadaparampil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: fertility; oncofertility; psychosocial; quality of life; supportive care; survivorship