Does a Peer Navigator Improve Quality of Life at Diagnosis?
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: This study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer navigator program where a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer is matched with a trained volunteer who is a breast cancer survivor. WomenCARE, a well-established Santa Cruz agency, and the Psychosocial Treatment Lab at Stanford, therefore, ask whether women newly diagnosed with breast cancer will improve their quality of life by participating in a peer navigator program. WomenCARE's Peer Navigator Program provides support, peer modeling, and information for women just diagnosed with breast cancer. Navigators and Sojourners (newly diagnosed women) are matched on group variables in individual rank order of importance. The pairs stay in close contact for a minimum of 3 months, up to 6 months if both agree.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This proposal originated in Santa Cruz County. The peer-matched patient navigator concept emanated from the personal experiences of women participating in support groups at WomenCARE and two community-based, patient-focused collaborative meetings. Women across the socio-economic, cultural, educational and ethnic spectrum expressed the same level of need for mentors. These breast cancer survivors brought their ideas and enthusiasm to the scientists at Stanford. Thus, the study speaks directly to the BCRP belief that communities should be active participants in research about themselves. Using a BCRP Pilot Grant awarded in July 2000, the research team gathered and analyzed preliminary process data in preparation for a randomized trial. A community-wide network, including key media sources, has begun to disseminate preliminary findings. This network of agencies and doctors is poised to assure widespread dissemination of future findings as they become available
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This proposal is also responsive to the Priority Issue of enhancing quality of life at diagnosis and during treatment for breast cancer. The major hypothesis is that quality of life at diagnosis and in early treatment is enhanced by the presence of a peer navigator. The notion of a patient navigator is not unique and there are widespread peer assistance programs throughout the state. However, we believe that this proposal is unique in its quest to study long-term, criteria-matched, navigation by peers. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 We will use a randomized trial to test the effectiveness of the peer navigator intervention. An experimental group of at least 70 newly diagnosed women will receive a one-time consultation with a cancer professional and then be matched according to specified criteria with peer navigators who will provide support for a minimum of 3 months and up to 6 months. A control group of women will receive a one-time consultation with a cancer professional. Standardized quality of life assessments will be administered to both groups at 3, 6, and 12 months to assess whether peer intervention results in improving quality of life, self-efficacy, doctor-patient communication, post-traumatic growth while reducing depression and trauma. Since Navigators are also assessed, the impact of providing peer support will also be measured. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 If this project demonstrates that Peer Navigation is effective in improving a newly diagnosed woman’s quality of life, it could provide the impetus for improving the quality of similar programs, stimulate the formation of more programs, and provide evidence to support health policy changes to support peer navigation programs throughout California as a common component of standard treatment process. All women who participate in the study will benefit from receiving more and better-organized information than they would ordinarily receive