The ultimate goal of her research is to better understand how side effects occur and to contribute to increased quality of life for patients.
Dr. Jim's research focuses on psychosocial and behavioral aspects of cancer control. Specifically, she is interested in adjustment to diagnosis and treatment, management of symptoms and side effects, and quality of life. Because of her interest in assessment, measurement issues are a recurrent theme in her research. Dr. Jim's previous work has examined both negative outcomes of cancer diagnosis, such as distress, and positive outcomes, such as benefit-finding and meaning in life. In collaboration with colleagues at Moffitt, she is investigating cognitive functioning following treatment for breast and prostate cancer. She is involved in a large clinical trial examining the effects of stress management and exercise on quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy. She currently has a study underway to compare side effects of different chemotherapy regimens in patients with ovarian cancer. Dr. Jim also recently received a NIH grant to examine fatigue, depression, and sleep/activity patterns in women undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. The ultimate goal of her research is to develop behavioral interventions to reduce side effects and contribute to increased well-being and quality of life among patients.