Effectiveness of Peer Support on Quality of Life in Recently Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study examines effectiveness of peer support of breast cancer patients. Half of the participants received peer support via telephone in addition to usual care and another half are give the usual care only.

Detailed Description
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Seriously sick people need social support to maintain their quality of life. Social support may be given by peers, who have experienced the same. In this study voluntary participants with recently diagnosed breast cancer were randomly allocated to intervention (N=130) or control (N=130) group. The intervention group received, in addition to usual care, peer support via telephone 1-5 times according to their own preference. The control group received usual care only. Peer support was given by volunteered breast cancer survivors who were educated for giving peer support.

Official Title
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Effectiveness of Peer Support on Quality of Life in Recently Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients - a Randomized Trial

Conditions
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Breast Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Peer support


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: recently diagnosed primary breast cancer no other serious illnesses ability to communicate in Finnish or Swedish (official languages in Finland) ability to fill in the questionnaires Exclusion Criteria: some other serious illnesses inability to communicate in Finnish or Swedish (official languages in Finland) inability to fill in the questionnaires
Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention group<br>Peer support group received, in addition to usual care, peer support via telephone 1-5 times according to their own preference. Peer support was started at the time between diagnosis and the beginning of treatments. | Behavioral: Peer support<br>* Peer support persons are breast cancer survivors, who were educated to give peer support. They contacted participants by telephone.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group<br>The control group received usual care only. For ethical reasons, participants in the control group were not discouraged from seeking peer support by themselves if they felt a need for it. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A change of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). | HRQoL was assessed with a generic 15D instrument. | From baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months later. | 
| A change of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). | HRQoL was assessed with a disease-specific instrument EORTC QLQ-30 and its breast cancer specific module BR23. | From baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months later. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Satisfaction for life | Satisfaction for life was assessed with a questionnaire created for this study. | Baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months later. | 
| The use of health care services | The use of health care services was assessed with a questionnaire create for this study. | Baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months later. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Peer Group, Quality of Life