The Psychosocial Health and Wellbeing Research (emPoWeR) Unit

Research Overview

The Psychosocial Health and Wellbeing Research (emPoWeR) Unit is part of the the Gynaecology Research Centre, situated at the Royal Women’s Hospital. The Gynaecology Research Centre is the first centre in Australia to bring together clinical and laboratory expertise to investigate a wide range of common gynaecological issues and provide greater understanding to improve prevention, diagnosis and management of conditions.

The emPoWeR Unit conducts research with a focus on the psychological, emotional and social aspects of reproductive health. The unit has a particular focus  on the overall wellbeing of people impacted by gynaecological issues and infertilty, and the quality of life factors that arise as a consequence of these conditions. The goal of the unit is to develop tools that can help improve the experience of people facing these sorts of challenges.

Specific research areas include:

  • Family planning and fertility preservation for women with breast cancer
  • Fertility preservation and genetic testing for families of children with cancer
  • Age-related infertility, egg freezing, and egg disposition for women
  • Managing symptoms after cancer
  • Decision-making support tools for assisted reproduction
  • Unmet needs of women with Endometriosis
  • Unmet needs of women with heavy menstrual bleeding and pain

Staff

  • A/Prof Michelle Peate, Principal Research Fellow
  • Nipuni Susanto (Gamage), Senior Research Support Officer
  • Lucy Caughey, Research Assistant

Collaborators

Royal Melbourne Hospital

Royal Children’s Hospital

Harvard University

The Dana Farber Cancer Institute (Harvard)

The Oncofertility Consortium (Northwestern University)

University of New South Wales

University of Sydney

Monash Hospital

Melbourne IVF

IVF Australia

Genea

Swinburne University

Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority

Edinburgh University

King Edward Memorial Hospital

The Leukemia Foundation

Ovarian Cancer Australia

Counterpart

Pink Hope

Jean Hailes

Myeloma Foundation Australia

NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia

Breast Cancer Network Australia

PanCare Foundation

Sock it to Sarcoma

Funding

  • Cancer Council New South Wales
  • Women's Health Research, Translation and Impact Network (WHRTN)
  • Centre of Research Excellence

Research Outcomes

https://www.bcna.org.au/media/3685/bcn1189_fertility_booklet_2016_online.pdf

https://www.bcna.org.au/media/2131/menopause_booklet.pdf

https://links.neura.edu.au/

Pockett R, Peate M, Dzidowska M, Hobbs K, Baylock B, Bell M, Epstein I. The characteristics of oncology social work in Australia: Implications for workforce planning in integrated cancer care. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology (Accepted 13/01/2016).

Hickey M, Peate M, Anderson. Letter:  Should cryopreservation of oocytes be discussed with all women in their 30’s? New England Journal of Medicine 2016; 374:287-288.

Peate M, Watts K, Wakefield C. The ‘value’ of values clarification in cancer-related decision aids. Patient Education & Counseling 2013; 90(2): 281-283.

Juraskova I, Jarvis S, Friedlander M, et al. The Acceptability, Feasibility, and Efficacy (Phase I/II Study) of the OVERcome (Olive Oil, Vaginal Exercise, and MoisturizeR) Intervention to Improve Dyspareunia and Alleviate Sexual Problems in Women with Breast Cancer. Journal Of Sexual Medicine 2013;(10):2549-2559

Peate M, Friedlander M. Using decision aids for improving treatment-choices for women with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Management (2013) 2(1): 23-31. Invited perspective.

Peate M, Meiser B, Friedlander M, et al. Making hard choices easier: a prospective, multicentre study to assess the efficacy of a fertility-related decision aid in young women with early-stage breast cancer. British Journal Of Cancer 2012;106(6):1053-1061

Peate M, Saunders C, Gregson J, Thewes B, D’Abrew N, Meiser B, White K Hickey M. Development and evaluation of an information booklet about breast cancer and early menopause. The Breast Journal (2012) 18 (1): 95-96.

Sansom-Daly U, Peate M, Wakefield C, Bryant RA, Cohn RJ. A Systematic Review of Psychological Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Chronic Illness Health Psychology (2012). 31(3):380-93.

Wakefield CE, McLoone JK, Fleming CAK, Peate M, Thomas E, Sansom-Daly U, Butow P, Cohn R. Adolescent cancer and health-related decision-making: A multi-perspective family analysis. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (2012). 1(4):173-180.

Peate M, Meiser B, Hickey M, et al. It's Now or Never: Fertility-Related Knowledge, Decision-Making Preferences, and Treatment Intentions in Young Women With Breast Cancer--An Australian Fertility Decision Aid Collaborative Group Study. Journal Of Clinical Oncology  2011;29(13):1670-1677

Peate M, Meiser B, Hickey M, et al. Development and Pilot Testing of a Fertility Decision Aid for Young Women Diagnosed with Early Breast Cancer. Breast Journal 2011;17(1):112-114.

Hickey M, Peate M, Saunders C, Friedlander M. Breast cancer in young women and its impact on reproductive function. Human Reproduction Update  2009;15(3):323-339

Peate M, Meiser B, Hickey M, Friedlander M. The fertility-related concerns, needs and preferences of younger women with breast cancer: a systematic review. Breast Cancer Research And Treatment 2009;(1):215-224

Research Publications

  1. Sandhu S, Hickey M, Lew R, Hammarberg K, Braat S, Agresta F, Parle A, Allingham C, the Eggsurance Collaborative Group, Peate M. The Development and Phase 1 Evaluation of a Decision Aid for Elective Egg Freezing. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2023; 23:83 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-023-02178-4
  2. Copp T, Thompson R, Doust J, Hammarberg K, Peate M, Lensen S, Cvejic E, Lieberman D, Mol BW, McCaffery KJ. Community awareness and use of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) testing in Australia: A population survey of women. Human Reproduction. (Accepted 3/5/23)
  3. Sandhu S, Braat S, Hickey M, Hammarberg K, Lew R, Fisher J, Ledger W, Peate M. Information and Decision Support Needs: A Survey of Women Interested in Receiving Planned Oocyte Cryopreservation Information. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics (Accepted 4/4/23). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10815-023-02796-x
  4. Caughey LE, White KM, Lensen S, Peate M. Elective Egg Freezers' Disposition Decisions : A Qualitative Study. Fertility and Sterility 2023. (In press 12/4/23)
  5. Waters N, Taffs L, Marino J, Rapsey C, Girling J*, Peate M*. Unmet needs in endometriosis: lessons from COVID-19. Women’s Health Reports 2022; 3(1):937-943  https://doi.org/10.1089/whr.2022.0051
  6. Slater A, Lew R, Peate M. Age-related fertility decline and elective oocyte cryopreservation: Knowledge, attitudes and practices in a pilot study of general practitioners. Australian Journal of General Practice 2022; 51(8):611-9. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-10-21-6191 https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2022/august/fertility-decline-and-elective-oocyte-cryopreserva
  7. Febrina F, Triyoga I, White M, Marino JL*, Peate M*. Efficacy of Interventions to Manage Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Cancer: A Systematic Review. Menopause 2022; 29(5):609-626. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001953  https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/2022/05000/Efficacy_of_interventions_to_manage_sexual.16.aspx
  8. Peate M, Saunders C, Cohen P, Hickey M. Who is managing menopausal symptoms, sexual problems, mood and sleep disturbance after breast cancer and is it working? Findings from a large community-based survey of breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 2021; 187(2):427-435. https://rdcu.be/ce9DX
  9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-021-06117-7
  10. Mulder RL*, Font-Gonzalez A*, van Dulmen-den Broeder E, Quinn G; Ginsberg J; Loeffen EAH, Hudson MM, Burns K, van Santen HM, Berger C, Diesch T, Dirksen U, Giwercman A, Gracia C, Hunter S, Kelvin J, Klosky JL, Laven J, Lockart B, Neggers S, Peate M, Phillips B,  Reed D, Tinner E, Byrne J, Veening M, van de Berg M, Verhaak C, Anazodo A, Rodriguez-Wallberg K, van den Heuvel-Eibrink M, Ogechuwku A, Brownsdon A, Wallace WH, Green DM, Skinner R, Haupt R, Kenney LB, Levine J, van de Wetering MD, Tissing W, Paul N, Kremer L, Inthorn J, on behalf of the PanCareLIFE Consortium. Recommendations for communication and ethical issues related to fertility preservation in children, adolescents and young adult cancer patients: a report from the PanCareLIFE consortium in collaboration with the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. Lancet Oncology 2021; 22(2): e68–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30595-7
  11. Li AD, Bellis EK, Girling JE, Jayasinghe Y, Grover SR, Marino JL*, Peate M*. Unmet Needs and Experiences of Adolescent Girls with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and Dysmenorrhea: A Qualitative Study. (*shared senior author). Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology 2020; 33:278-84   https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1083318819303602
  12. Peate M, Meiser B, Cheah BC, Saunders C, Butow P, Thewes B, Hart R, Phillips KA, Hickey M*, Friedlander M* (*These authors share equally Co-senior authorship). Making hard choices easier: a prospective, multicentre study to assess the efficacy of a fertility-related decision aid in young women with early-stage breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer 2012; 106: 1053–1061.  doi:10.1038/bjc.2012.61  http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v106/n6/full/bjc201261a.html
  13. Peate M, Meiser B, Friedlander M, Zorbas H, Rovelli S, Sansom-Daly U, Sangster J, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Hickey M. It’s now or never: fertility-related knowledge, decision-making preferences, and treatment intentions in young women with breast cancer. An Australian Fertility Decision Aid Collaborative Group Study.Journal of Clinical Oncology2011; 29(13): 1670-1677.DOI:10.1200/JCO.2010.31.2462