“My favorite thing about being a social worker and working in clinical psychosocial care is that every time you think you have it figured out, you learn something new, because everyone is different and the situation is always changing,” said Anderson, an assistant professor at the University of California School of Medicine.
This project is personal for both researchers. Wells' father is currently being treated for multiple myeloma, and Anderson's father passed away from leukemia in 2020. They said the combination of AI-powered missions and virtual support groups offers an opportunity to make mental health care more accessible to patients like their families.
“So we're hopeful that as we learn more about its use, we can open up and expand access to more people,” Wells said. “My dad is always informed about different resources and support groups, and I think this is the best one for him.”
“I think there is greater recognition of the psychosocial needs of cancer patients than ever before, but there is still a lot of room to add to the toolbox,” Anderson added. “I don't know if my father was a support group person, but I think by using that technology to match him with other people, we could have provided them with an additional safety net.”
