Clinical trial NCT02099526: Older Cancer Caregiver Needs Post Hospital Discharge
Official title: Needs of Older Caregivers of Adults With Cancer In the First 2 Weeks Following Hospital Discharge
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Cancer Caregivers of Older Adults
Keywords: cancer
caregiver
caregiving
care give
elderly
older adults
unmet needs
post-discharge
cancer symptoms
Lead sponsor: Duke University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: The Reed Foundation, Ruth Landes Memorial Research Fund
First posted: 2014-03-31
Enrollment: 23
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Subjects include 30 informal caregivers and cancer patients dyads. Patients have been admitted to either the hematological malignancy unit, or the non-hematological malignancy unit for treatment of cancer, or treatment-related/cancer-related complications.

Brief summary: The goals of the study are to investigate the needs of older (age 60+) caregivers caring for adults with cancer at 1-week and 2 weeks following hospital discharge and to explore strategies that may assist caregivers in their home caregiving needs. This study will explore how these needs vary based on caregiver spirituality and relationship with the care recipient.

The study will enroll cancer patients and their caregivers admitted to 9100 and 9300, which are the hematological and non-hematological malignancy units at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) respectively. Results of this study will lay the groundwork for creating tailored interventions for caregivers that are compatible to their preferences and more responsive to their needs.

Detailed description: Baseline demographic data about the caregiver and patient will be collected at patient beside prior to hospital discharge. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with the cancer caregivers in their home at 1-week after their loved one was discharged from the hospital, and at 2-weeks after discharge from the hospital. This study utilizes a qualitative descriptive design.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Caregiver must speak English
* Caregiver must be at least 60 years of age
* Patients must be 18 years of age or older \& speak English
* Patients must have been admitted to either the 9100 or 9300 oncology unit for treatment of cancer, or treatment-related/cancer-related complications
* Patients must be discharged home to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Dyads who received hospice referral prior to the care recipient's discharge
* Patient must not have any diagnosis of dementia in their medical records, or any cognitive impairment as assessed by hospital providers (physicians and nurses)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Unmet cancer caregiver needs
timeFrame: 1 week after patient discharge from hospital
measure: Caregiver strategies assisting in caregiving role
timeFrame: 1 week after patient discharge from hospital
measure: Caregiver decision making in seeking assistance for cancer patient
timeFrame: 1 week after patient discharge from hospital
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Caregiver needs and preferences vary with time
timeFrame: 2 weeks after patient discharge from the hospital
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Durham
country: United States
facility: Duke University Medical Center
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Duke University
name: Cristina Hendrix, DNS
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: