Comorbidities And Reducing inEquitieS

Medstar Health Research Institute63 enrolled

Overview

Black cancer patients tend to have worse outcomes than White cancer patients. Some of this disparity may be due to comorbidities. The purpose of this study is to improve management of co-morbidities among cancer patients in order to improve cancer outcomes and improve health equity. Comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension can complicate cancer treatment or can make it difficult to reach optimal health after treatment. This study will offer additional support and tools to manage cancer patient's health needs. First, the study will use a mobile health application, managed by a company called Welldoc, to monitor patient progress in real time and to provide ongoing guidance. Second, the study will connect patients with a Community Health Worker who will speak with them weekly to discuss self-care information, including medical scheduling or appointment needs, and assist with daily self-monitoring of blood pressure and/or blood glucose monitoring. Lastly, an oncology nurse will monitor reported health and triage any medical needs and whether additional medical care is needed.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Cancer, Breast Diabetes Mellitus Hypertension

Interventions

SupportBEHAVIORAL

Community Health Workers will conduct weekly phone calls to monitor blood pressure or blood glucose, to check in on patient need for social, practical or emotional supports, and to encourage healthy lifestyle modification. Participants will also have access to a mobile app to support chronic disease management (Either diabetes or hypertension).

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Black women with a diagnosis of stage 0-IV breast cancer and within a month of treatment initiation or with 6+ months of treatment left OR Black men with a history of prostate cancer who are on long-term androgen deprivation therapy; * Blood pressure \>=120/80 OR diagnosis of diabetes * Individuals who develop these conditions during treatment such as those scheduled to initiate steroid-containing chemotherapy or targeted PI3K inhibitor therapies * Access to a smartphone and/or internet for the duration of the study. * Can understand and communicate in English Exclusion Criteria: \- Unwilling to participate in a 6-month study

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Feasibility of study protocol

Accrual of \>50 patients into the study

Time frame: Study recruitment period will be approximately 12 months

Feasibility of an active management strategy for comorbidities

\>80% recording blood pressure and/or blood glucose 3+ times per week

Time frame: Study duration will be 6 months for prostate cancer patients and duration of treatment plus one month for breast cancer patients (approximately 7 months)

Feasibility of an active management strategy for comorbidities

\>80% completion of weekly phone calls with community health workers

Time frame: Study duration will be 6 months for prostate cancer patients and duration of treatment plus one month for breast cancer patients (approximately 7 months)

Secondary Outcomes

Provider perspectives on acceptability of active management of comorbidities

\>80% reporting agree to completely agree on the scale: Acceptability of Intervention Measure (FIM) measure.

Time frame: Beginning and end of study (approximately 18 months)