The investigators will use a single arm design and deliver a new supportive intervention entitled, "Ready to Connect, Actively Relax and Exercise (CARE)." The purpose of the study is to describe the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of the Ready to CARE intervention. Effectiveness outcomes include caregiver self-efficacy, distress, and coping style, and patient quality of life, symptom burden, and healthcare utilization.
During the first phase of this study, the investigators enrolled caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) into a descriptive study. The investigators used quantitative and qualitative measures to describe the caregivers self-efficacy, distress, and coping style, and solicit their opinions about how to improve our supportive care for caregivers. Informed by those data, the investigators now will study the effectiveness of the supportive intervention. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a pragmatic, replicable intervention that supports caregivers and promotes the health and well-being of the caregiver-HSCT patient dyad.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
The intervention is built upon a model of caregiver well-being that identifies four domains of quality of life: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. For each domain, there are stressors (i.e., factors that make it hard to be a caregiver) and buffers (i.e., factors that help people be effective caregivers). Our Ready to CARE intervention begins by presenting caregivers with the model in order to generate a profile of personal stressors and buffers. From there, caregivers select from a "menu" of strategies that can be used to minimize stressors and create buffers in their daily life. The investigators will have six 45-minute sessions with the caregivers that will primarily occur while the patient is admitted for stem cell reinfusion.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States
Enrollment statistics
Number enrolled in study divided by number eligible
Time frame: Throughout the study, an average of one year
Retention
number completing all study assessments divided by number enrolled
Time frame: Throughout the study, an average of one year
Goal Attainment
average goal attainment score between sessions
Time frame: Day 30 after stem cell reinfusion
Session Completion
Average number of sessions completed
Time frame: Day 30 after stem cell reinfusion
Caregiver Satisfaction
Average score on satisfaction survey
Time frame: Day 30 after stem cell reinfusion
Caregiver Self-efficacy
Average change score on Caregiver Self-efficacy Scale
Time frame: Day 100 after stem cell reinfusion
Caregiver Coping style
Average change score on Brief Cope
Time frame: Day 100 after stem cell reinfusion
Patient Quality of Life
Average change score on Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Bone Marrow Transplant
Time frame: Day 100 after stem cell reinfusion
Patient symptom burden
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Average change score on MD Anderson Symptom Inventory
Time frame: Day 100 after stem cell reinfusion
Patient healthcare utilization
Average number of re-hospitalizations, urgent care or emergency department visits, and telephone calls to bone marrow transplant program
Time frame: Day 100 after stem cell reinfusion