Heli Tiirola

Heli Tiirola is a University Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Eastern Finland's Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. Her research focuses on healthcare social work, particularly supporting cancer patients and their carers. She has contributed to studies on unmet needs for information, psychosocial support, and service guidance in oncology care. Her work emphasizes the integration of healthcare and social services to address gaps in patient and carer support.

• PhD in Social Sciences (2009, University of Kuopio).
• Research affiliations: Social work research and education team.

Key research themes include cancer care pathways, carer support, and socio-pedagogical approaches to healthcare. She has published extensively on patient-carer communication, financial counseling needs, and systemic reforms in healthcare and social welfare.

Her articles analyze support needs across cancer stages, highlighting disparities in information access among older patients and male carers. She advocates for multi-professional care teams and peer support systems to enhance well-being and quality of care.