CLINICAL DIRECTORS NETWORK
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

EVALUATION OF SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS PROJECT

Project Background and Goals:

This five-year project, funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), will implement and evaluate the efficacy of a short-term problem-solving skills training program for familial caregivers to lower income older (60+) adults diagnosed with cancer.  A total of 552 patients and caregivers from 10 Community/Migrant Health Centers (C/MHCs) will be randomly assigned to either Problem-solving training sessions (experimental condition) or Support group sessions (control condition).
 
The goal of this project is to equip caregivers with problem-solving skills and knowledge that will provide them with more adaptive means of addressing and managing the range of symptoms and disease/treatment-related side-effects they may encounter in their care provision. By focusing attention on families’ potential role in palliative care efforts during the post-treatment period, we propose that we will be able to impact patients’ health related quality of life, by fostering enhanced symptom recognition, improved symptom control, advocacy with health professionals, and adherence to symptom management options. 

The project aims are: 

1. Deliver a brief training program with regard to symptom management (“Problem-solving”) to enhance caregiver skills (i.e., problem–solving, mastery, self-confidence, communication skills and cancer treatment knowledge) of familial caregivers to older adults diagnosed with cancer.
2. Evaluate the efficacy of Problem-solving in enhancing caregiver skills relative to participating in a caregiver support group (“Support”):   (a) Assess short and long-term change in caregiver skills reported by caregivers assigned to either the Problem-solving or the Support group; and, (b) Compare change reported by caregivers in the Problem-solving group relative to reports by those in the Support group;
3. Assess the impact of change in caregiver skills on:  (a) Change in quality of cancer care and symptom management received by the patients; (b) Change in caregivers’ depressive symptomology, anxiety, and quality of life (“caregiver outcomes”); and, (c) Change in patients’ symptom management and quality of life.

If the effectiveness of the Problem-solving intervention is demonstrated, a multi-dimensional approach will be used to disseminate information that informs family training and disease management strategies to participating C/MHCs, community- based organizations and other primary care practices serving these populations.

• Project Time Frame:  September 2005 -  June 2010

• Number of Participating Centers : 10

• Funding Sources: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

• Contact Persons:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Victoria H. Raveis, PhD Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health 100 Haven Avenue, Suite 6D New York, New York 10032 TEL: (212) 304-5563      FAX: (212) 304-7268 EMAIL: vhr1@columbia.edu www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu	C0-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jonathan N. Tobin, PhD Clinical Directors Network, Inc. 5 West 37th Street 10th Floor New York, NY 10018 TEL: (212) 382-0699 ext. 234 FAX: (212)-382-0669 EMAIL: jntobin@CDNetwork.org www.CDNetwork.org	RESEARCH DIRECTOR: Rosa Zhou, MD, MSc Clinical Directors Network, Inc. 5 West 37th Street 10th Floor New York, NY 10018 TEL: (212) 382-0699 ext. 243 FAX: (212)-382-0669 EMAIL:research@CDNetwork.org www.CDNetwork.org
CO-INVESTIGATOR: Sheindy Pretter, PhD Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health 100 Haven Avenue, Suite 6D New York, New York 10032 TEL: (212) 304-6487      FAX: (212) 304-7268 EMAIL: sp431@columbia.edu www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu	CO-INVESTIGATOR: Daniel Karus, MS Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health 100 Haven Avenue, Suite 6D New York, New York 10032 TEL: (212) 304-5557      FAX: (212) 304-7268 EMAIL: dk307@columbia.edu www.mailman.hs.columbia.edu	PROJECT MANAGER: Joaquin Aracena, MA Clinical Directors Network, Inc. 5 West 37th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10018 TEL: (212) 382-0699 ext. 233 FAX: (212) 382-0669  EMAIL: jarace@CDNetwork.org    www.CDNetwork.org