Posted on January 19, 2001 at 2:40 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Women who are undergoing treatment for breast cancer or receiving follow up care can enroll in a study on how social support over the Internet impacts patients’ quality of life.

The project, Survive, is a three-year research study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Psychology. Participants in the study will use the Survive Web site to obtain information on local and national cancer resources, how to cope with specific symptoms or side effects associated with cancer and its treatment, medical terminology and the psychological aspects of cancer. Women in the study will also share their personal experiences with each other in an online support group.

Coordinators for the project say that Survive may lead to the development of supportive services, which could then be used as a template for providing more extensive psychosocial care to cancer patients at UAB and around the nation. The project is funded with a $66,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.

To enroll in Survive, call Diane Tucker, Ph.D., UAB professor of psychology, at (205) 934-8885, or Jason Owen at (205) 934-1617.