Talks

Conference presentations & posters

Chittem, M. (2023). Stress and burnout among women physicians: How can self-care help? Invited talk at the 2nd Women in Endocrinology Annual Conference, Mumbai, India.
Chittem, M. (2018). Miles to go before we sleep: How public perceptions, structural barriers and illness experiences shape cancer outcomes in India. Invited paper in a symposium exploring the current status of psycho-oncology in the Asia-Pacific region at the International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) conference, Hong Kong.
Chittem, M., Epton, T., & Tanikella, R. (2018). Is it all in the label? The role of using a medical term vs euphemism on psychological outcomes and health behaviours among Indian cancer patients. Paper presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) conference, Hong Kong.
Chittem, M. & Rowland, C. (2018). Supportive care needs and their association with psychological well-being, illness beliefs and quality of life among cancer patients in India. Poster presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) conference, Hong Kong.
Chittem, M. & Rowland, C. (2018). Supportive care needs and their association with psychological well-being, illness beliefs and quality of life among cancer patients in India. E-poster presented at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Caner conference, Vienna, Austria.
Chittem, M., Tanikella, R., & Epton, T. (2018). Is it all in the label?.The role of using a medical term vs euphemisms on psychological outcomes and health behaviours among Indian cancer patients. E-poster presented at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer conference, Vienna, Austria.
Chittem, M., Tanikella, R., & Epton, T. (2017). Is it all in the label?.The role of using a medical term vs euphemisms on psychological outcomes and health behaviours among Indian cancer patients. Paper presented at the Indian Cancer Congress, Psycho-oncology Track, Bengaluru, India.
Chittem, M., Gomathy, S., Chawak, S., Maya, S., Muppavaram, N., Kameswari, S., & Lingappa, L. (2016). Miles to go before we sleep: How illness experiences shape health behaviours in India. Paper presented at the joint BPS Division of Health Psychology and European Health Psychology Society Conference, Aberdeen, U.K.
Chittem, M., Muppavaram, N., Chawak, S., & Lingappa, L. (2016). Illness perceptions, psychological well-being, and unmet needs among Indian parents of children with neurological illnesses. Poster presented at the joint BPS Division of Health Psychology and European Health Psychology Society Conference, Aberdeen, U.K.
Chittem, M., & Gomathy, S. (2015). Self-management in diabetes: A multi-stakeholder study. Invited paper presented at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), Lucknow, India.
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
Chittem, M., & Odiyo, P. (2015). "How can we support you, let us count the ways": The challenges faced and resources available to ECPPs in limited-resource. As part of a symposium presented by the Special Interest Group of Early Career Psycho-oncology Professionals within the International Psycho-oncology Society (IPOS) during the joint World Congress by IPOS and APOS at Washington, DC, USA.
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2014). What do you want, let me count the ways: Experiences of disclosure vs. nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis in India. Paper presented at the 4th Meeting of Asia-Pacific Psycho-Oncology Network (APPON), Taipei, Taiwan.
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
Chittem, M., Boddu, V., Rajappa, S., & Beeken, R. (2014). “I thought it was the end, but it isn't”: Patients' experiences of cancer in India. Poster to be presented at the 4th Meeting of Asia-Pacific Psycho-Oncology Network (APPON), Taipei, Taiwan.
YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2014). What do you want, let me count the ways: Experiences of disclosure vs. nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis in India. Paper presented at the 16th International Psycho-oncology Society Congress, Lisbon, Portugal.
Chittem., M., Boddu, V., Rajappa, S., & Beeken, R. (2014). “I thought it was the end, but it isn't”: Patients' experiences of cancer in India. Poster presented at the 16th International Psycho-oncology Society Congress, Lisbon, Portugal.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2014). What do you want, let me count the ways: Experiences of disclosure vs. nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis in India. Paper presented at the one-day seminar on Health practices and engagements in India, Dept. of Liberal Arts, IIT Hyderabad, India.
Chittem, M., & Butow, P. (2012). Role of culture in understanding and dealing with families’ requests for cancer nondisclosure: A qualitative study with Western and non-Western born oncologists. Paper presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society 14th World Congress, Brisbane, Australia.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2012). Reasons for and for not disclosing, illness perceptions, and psychological adjustment in Indian caregivers of cancer patients. Paper presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society 14th World Congress, Brisbane, Australia.
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2012). The experience of cancer among disclosed and non-disclosed Indian cancer patients: A qualitative study. Poster presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society 14th World Congress, Brisbane, Australia.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2012). Reasons for and for not disclosing, illness perceptions, and psychological adjustment in Indian caregivers of cancer patients. Paper presented at the American Psycho-oncology Society’s 9th Annual Conference, Miami, Florida.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2012). The experience of cancer among disclosed and non-disclosed Indian cancer patients: A qualitative study. Poster presented at the American Psycho-oncology Society’s 9th Annual Conference, Miami, Florida.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2010). Illness perceptions, coping and psychological adjustment in informed and non-informed Indian cancer patients. Paper presented at the International Psycho-oncology Society 12th World Congress of Psycho-oncology and Canadian Psycho-oncology Organization Annual Conference, Québec City, Canada.
Chittem, M., Norman, P., & Harris, P. (2009). Illness perceptions, coping and psychological adjustment in informed and non-informed Indian cancer patients. Poster presented at the European Health Psychology Society Conference, Pisa, Italy.
Chittem, M.R., Scarnà, A. & De Abreu, G. (2008). The impact of being informed on coping in Indian cancer patients. Poster presented at the joint BPS Division of Health Psychology and European Health Psychology Society Conference, Bath, U.K.

Invited talks

“Intersectionality of socio-economic status, age and sex in mental health and its scope in research” as an expert panelist hosted by MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune (October, 2023).
“Psychosocial aspects of the ethics of genetic testing” at the 8th Annual Conference of the Board of Genetic Counseling India (BGCI), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India (July, 2023).
“Self-care for young adults in the post-covid times” at The Department of Psychology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India (February, 2023).
“Current research in psycho-oncology” at Christ University, Bengaluru, India (January, 2023).
“Identifying and responding to distress in college students” at Sarojini Naidu Vanita Maha Vidyalaya, Hyderabad, India (October, 2022).
“Psycho-oncology research: How can you contribute?” at the Department of Applied Psychology, GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences, GITAM, Vishakapatnam, India (September, 2022).
“PCOS – Lesser known needs” as a panelist for a conference on Women in Endocrine (WE-CARE) hosted by the Endocrine Society of India (March, 2022
"PCOS, Hirsutism and Family Support” as a panelist for a webinar held by Patients Engage, Singapore (December, 2021).
"Face value: Experiences of having hirsutism among young women diagnosed with PCOS and their mothers" for the symposium on Health education: Need of the hour held by Indian Institute of Technology Patna (IITP), Patna, India (June, 2021).
““All you need is love, love is all you need”: Oncologists’ perceptions and experiences of patient empathy” at Access Health, Hyderabad, India (June, 2021).
“How long it will be like this?” – Hopes at the end-of-life among Indian patients with advanced incurable cancer” at the Graduate School of Language and Culture, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan (December, 2019).
Stress management for patients with chronic illnesses: Understanding illness experiences at GITAM College, Hyderabad (November 2019)
““How long it will be like this?” – Hopes at the end-of-life among Indian patients with advanced incurable cancer” at the Centre of Psycho-oncology for Education & Research (COPER), Bangalore, India (November, 2019).
“Illness perceptions, coping, psychological distress and happiness among Indian women with high risk pregnancies: A mixed method study” at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay (August, 2018)
"The fear of cancer recurrence" at the Indian Cancer Congress, Psycho-oncology track (November, 2017).
"Being healthy, being happy!" for second graders studying in Oakridge International School, Hyderabad (October, 2017).
"Stress, burnout and self-care among medical graduates" at the ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad (October, 2017).
"Nurturing your well-being" at a Two day workshop on Coping Mechanisms in the Workplace held by the Regional Academy of Broadcasting and Multimedia, All India Radio, Hyderabad (October, 2017)
"Ethical principles in psychological research among vulnerable populations" at a Two day national workshop on Ethics in Health Research, School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India (September, 2017).
"Psychological aspects of infertility" at Oasis Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Hyderabad (July, 2017).
"Content analysis" at St. Francis College for Women, Hyderabad, India as part of their 5-day workshop on qualitative methodologies (September, 2016).
“Women’s experiences of a high risk pregnancy: An IPA study.” at the University of Manchester, Manchester, U.K. (August, 2016).
"Attitudes towards euthanasia among Indian patients with advanced incurable cancer" at the University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K. (August, 2016).
“Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the best strategy for them all? Diabetes compliance during Ramadan in Hyderabad, India” at the Rotary Club of Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills Chapter monthly meeting (January 2016).
1. For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
“Wake up to the other side: Medicine, engineering and psychology” at the Dept. of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta (December, 2015).

1. For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.

“Interpersonal communication: The key to mastering counselling skills” at the Student Federation of India, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India (September, 2015).
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
“Doing research in psychology” at the Dept. of Psychology, St. Francis Degree College for Women, Hyderabad, India (July, 2015).
“To tell or not to tell: The story of cancer diagnosis disclosure in Asia-Pacific” at the Osaka University International Symposium on Legacies of World War II (Part 4), Osaka University, Japan (March, 2015).
“Psycho-oncology research in India” at the Dept. of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Keio University, Japan (March, 2015).
“What do you want, let me count the ways: Issues in Health Communication” at a Two Day International Seminar on Social Sector Development – Issues, Challenges and Policy (sponsored by ICSSR), Institute of Public Enterprise, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India (November, 2015).
“Ethics in Psychology Research” at a Two day workshop on Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) and Institutional Committee - Stem Cell Research (IC-SCRT), School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, India (October, 2014).
For a YouTube link to the talk, please click here.
“Pain and its management” Dept. of Psychology, St. Francis Degree College for Women, Hyderabad, India (September, 2014).
“Communicating cancer diagnosis” at the Health, Nutrition and Development Initiative, Azim Premji University (July, 2014).
“Cancer communication in India” at the School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Australia (November, 2009).
“Developing a research proposal and applying for grants in psychology” at the Dept. of Psychology, St. Francis Degree College for Women, India (2007).