Jones Helps Patients Make Tough Decisions
Photo: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang
When Dr. Randy Jones described his program of research during the first NINR Director’s Lecture of 2020, he emphasized the importance of considering the many different factors such as family involvement, faith and cultural beliefs that contribute to how cancer patients make treatment decisions. It is no wonder that Jones’s background in mental health helped shape his approach to designing research and interventions. His clinical experience is in psychology and mental health, which led him to study the psycho-social behaviors of those with chronic illnesses.
“Thinking about how we, as researchers, can be able to provide the best care for patients, you have to look at different aspects of a patient’s life,” he said.
Jones, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing, concentrates primarily on health disparities and prostate cancer. He looks to improve quality of life for those with cancer. He is currently a principal investigator on an NINR-funded study focusing on treatment decision-making among patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Throughout his career, Jones has linked his research to the implications for health care providers, the need to make sure patients feel part of the process and the crucial role that the patient’s support system plays in the care of cancer patients. He has found that decision aids help patients understand treatment decisions; they facilitate an interactive patient-health care provider relationship. Jones’s work highlights the benefits of utilizing a culturally sensitive decision aid for advanced prostate cancer.
His lecture is available at https://www.youtube.com/NINRnews.—Adrienne Burroughs