The purpose of this study is to develop and test a new communication intervention, "Values and Options in Cancer Care 2.0" (VOICE 2.0), which involves oncologist training, patient and caregiver coaching, and caregiver support. The VOICE 2.0 intervention was developed by members of the study team to improve communication among oncologists, patients with cancer, and caregivers. Researchers have found that clear communication about the patient's disease can help with the planning of that patient's future care and improve the well-being of both the patient and his or her caregiver. The long-term goals of developing and testing VOICE 2.0 include improving the care and respecting the wishes of cancer patients, and helping those patients and their caregivers have an improved quality of life during their experience with cancer.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
55
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, United States
Feasibility will be assessed by rates of accrual, retention, and intervention completion
Time frame: 10 weeks
Intervention Acceptability
Intervention Acceptability will be assessed with Likert scale items with responses that range from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.
Time frame: 7 weeks
Concordant illness understanding (oncologists, patients, caregivers)
will be measured using two items assessing participants' beliefs about the patient's chances of living two or more years and chances of being cured. Items are rated on a seven-point scale: 100%, 90% 75%, 50-50, 25%, 10%, 0%. Patient, caregiver, and oncologist responses that differ by two or more response categories will be categorized as discordant.
Time frame: 7 weeks
Communicational self-efficacy
will be measured with the 10-item Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions (PEPPI) survey.
Time frame: 7 weeks
Patient-caregiver communication quality
will be assessed with the 5-item Family Communication subscale of the Cancer Communication Assessment Tool for Patients and Families, a valid measure in cancer patients and caregivers.
Time frame: 7 weeks
Patient/caregiver-oncologist relationship strength
will be measured with the 16-item Human Connection scale Each item is rated on Likert scale from 1 to 4 with higher scores indicating a stronger relationship with the oncologist.
Time frame: 7 weeks
Psychological distress
will be measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a 14-item self-report measure45 commonly used with cancer patients46-51 and caregivers
Time frame: 7 weeks
Meaning and purpose (patients, caregivers)
will be assessed with the 48-item Life Attitude Profile-Revised, a self-report measure of discovered meaning and the motivation to find purpose that has been used with advanced cancer patients and caregivers.
Time frame: 7 weeks
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