Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

From co-design to care: Developing a national nurse-led mental health program for people living with multiple myeloma  (145030)

Natalie Tuckey 1 2 , Hannah R Wardill 1 2 , Matthew Iasiello 1 3 , Melissa Cantley 1 4 , Kathina Ali 5 , Joep van agteren 3 , Dan Fassnacht 5 , Imogen Ramsey 6 , Hayley Beer 7 , Rayan Saleh Moussa 8 , Luke Grundy 9 , Laura C Edney 9
  1. School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  2. Supportive Oncology Research Group, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, SAHMRI, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  3. Be Well Co, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  4. Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, SAHMRI, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  5. School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  6. Caring Futures Flinders Health and Medical Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  7. Myeloma Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  8. Centre for Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology , Sydney, NSW, Australia
  9. Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Psychosocial interventions have been associated with improved quality of life across multiple cancer populations. However, these benefits have rarely been realised beyond clinical trials due to poor implementation in routine care. Co-design is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of successful implementation, ensuring interventions are acceptable, feasible and sustainable in real-world practice. Here, we describe the successful co-design and delivery of Living Well with Myeloma, an online nurse-led mental health program designed to improve the wellbeing of people living with myeloma. 

Program development integrated the Double Diamond co-design framework with the six steps of Intervention Mapping. Following participation in a pilot program, 20 lived experience consumers and four Myeloma Australia specialist nurses participated in a focus group and two co-design workshops, followed by a two-day train-the-trainer workshop for specialist nurses. Across the Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver phases, Intervention Mapping guided: (1) needs assessment; (2) specification of program outcomes and performance objectives; (3) selection of evidence-based behaviour change methods; (4) development of intervention and implementation materials; (5) implementation planning; and (6) evaluation planning.  

Results: Co-design identified six behavioural determinants underpinning mental health self-management: knowledge, awareness, beliefs, skills, goals and social influence. These informed learning objectives, behaviour change techniques, participant resources, training materials and implementation strategies. The process culminated in Living Well with Myeloma, a seven-week online group program delivered by Myeloma Australia specialist nurses, which was subsequently delivered and evaluated in an RCT (N=49/39 completed).  

Conclusions: People living with multiple myeloma experience among the poorest quality of life of any cancer population. By integrating co-design with Intervention Mapping, we developed an implementation-ready psychosocial intervention that equips specialist nurses to deliver evidence-based mental health support. Evaluation of its clinical effectiveness, implementation and cost-effectiveness will provide the evidence needed to support scalable, national delivery through Myeloma Australia.