Efficacy and Feasibility of a Psychosocial Intervention Within CCOP Context: Evaluation of the Facing Forward Guide to Facilitate Life After Active Cancer Treatment (CCOP:Community Clinical Oncology Program)

Fox Chase Cancer Center1 site in 1 country340 target enrollmentFebruary 2005

Overview

Brief Summary

This study was designed to provide a preliminary evaluation of the efficacy and usability of the 2004 revised version of the booklet, Facing Forward , Life After Cancer Treatment, (hereafter,Facing Forward) published by the National Cancer Institute. Facing Forward provides early stage cancer patients during the period after completing active treatment practical ways of dealing with common problems, including guidelines for managing physical, social, and emotional health. Assessments were completed at the patient's final cancer treatment visit. Follow-up assessments occurred eight weeks and 6 months later. The initial assessments covered background information (demographics, medical status), use of educational materials, survivorship activities, and psychological factors. The follow-up assessments included use of actions recommended in Facing Forward, ratings of Facing Forward with respect the booklet's informativeness, helpfulness, understandability, and extent read, the same psychological measures used initially, and a measure of self-efficacy.

Detailed Description

This study was designed to provide a preliminary evaluation of the efficacy and usability of the 2004 revised version of the booklet, Facing Forward, Life After Cancer Treatment (hereafter,Facing Forward)published by the National Cancer Institute. Facing Forward provides early stage cancer patients during the period after completing active treatment practical ways of dealing with common problems, including guidelines for managing physical, social, and emotional health. The study employed a randomized controlled repeated measures design and compared Facing Forward with a control document published by the National Cancer Institute, The Cancer Information Service: Questions and Answers. The intervention arm received both Facing Forward and the control document and the control arm received only the latter. Assessments were completed at baseline, which occurred at the patient's final cancer treatment visit or alternatively at the first follow-up visit for those scheduled to be evaluated and/or restaged within 28 days of their last treatment visit. The first follow-up assessment occurred eight weeks following the baseline assessment via mail-home materials, and the second occurred 6 months following the baseline assessment, again via mail-home materials. Baseline measures included background information (demographics, medical status), use of educational materials, survivorship activities engaged in, and psychological factors. The 8-week and 6-month assessments included uptake of actions recommended in Facing Forward, and ratings of Facing Forward with respect to its usability, including the booklet's informativeness, helpfulness, understandability, and extent read, and the same psychological factors assessed at baseline.

Registry

clinicaltrials.gov

Start Date

February 2005

End Date

October 2009

Last Updated

14 years ago

Study Type

Interventional

Study Design

Parallel

Sex

All

Investigators

Sponsor

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Responsible Party

Sponsor

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

•current age at or above 18 years;
•breast, colorectal, prostate, and/or thoracic cancer diagnosis,stage I, II, IIIa;
•approaching or attending the last treatment appointment of chemotherapy and or radiation therapy for the cancer diagnosis
•English speaking (able to read English at an 8th grade level);
•have a mailing address;
•have residential phone service;
•able to give informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

•patients who have received surgery only with no adjuvant therapy;
•second primary cancer or recurrent disease;
•patients receiving brachytherapy only

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Reported uptake of behavioral actions recommended in Facing Forward

Time Frame: 6-months post-baseline

Items asked whether the respondent engaged in each recommended behavior (Yes or No); affirmative responses to the items comprising each subscale were summed to create four subscale scores:use of follow-up medical care (6 items; e.g., have you developed a wellness plan?), management of side effects of management (7 items; e.g., have you used any tips for regaining your appetite? ), uptake of stress management (8 items; e.g., have you used relaxation techniques? ), management of social and financial matters management (7 items; e.g., have you used suggested tips for dealing with family issues?.