Special Studies in Symptom Management focuses on providing a comprehensive site for multidisciplinary scientific inquiry, clinical research, and education training in the area of symptom management. The mission of the division is to advance the field by developing and testing noninvasive interventions that improve overall health, reduce symptom-specific problems, promote long-term health, prevent disease and improve quality of life.
Founder Joyce K. Anastasi has long been involved in symptom management especially distressing, chronic symptoms largely associated with gastrointestinal, neurological and immunological conditions which often affect quality of life. She was part of one of the first teams in the country to develop and incorporate a subspecialty curriculum in integrative therapies into a graduate nursing education program. She has designed and implemented two training programs for graduate and undergraduate nursing education on alternative systems of medicine and herbs/supplements focusing on safety, evidence, and common uses among individuals with chronic illnesses for symptom management. In addition, the division publishes a newsletter on herbs, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements for clinicians, faculty, and students.