Grant Number:	1R03CA096204-01 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator:	Weber, Bryan
Organization:	University Of Florida
Project Title:	Dyadic Social Support for Men with Prostate Cancer
Fiscal Year:	2001

DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Description) This 2 year study, "Dyadic Social Support For Men with Prostate Cancer," will investigate the effects of dyadic social support on self-efficacy, social support, and depression for men with prostate cancer, which is the leading form of cancer for American men. Improvements in screening and medical management of prostate cancer have prolonged life expectancy for the 180,000 men to be diagnosed this year. The diagnosis and treatment side effects, particularly urinary and erectile dysfunction from radical prostatectomy, are known to lead to depression. Although support groups have been found to reduce depression for cancer patients, few men participate in such groups. One-to-one support with another man as in the proposed dyadic intervention may be more acceptable than support groups to these men. The purpose of the study is to test the effects of a dyadic intervention based on Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory (vicarious experience, performance and attribute similarity) that links men who are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer with those who are long-term survivors (> 5 years). One hundred men (50 years and older) with prostate cancer and having a radical prostatectomy will be recruited within 100 days of the diagnosis. Excluded will be those with prior history of cancer and death of a loved one within 1 year. Subjects will be randomized to control or experimental groups. Experimental subjects will be matched according to race with a long-term survivor volunteer who had a prostatectomy for prostate cancer. After training in the study protocol, long-term survivors will meet with subjects 8 times during a 60-day period to discuss feelings, thoughts, and concerns associated with prostate cancer. The investigator will monitor the intervention through weekly telephone calls and weekly logs recorded by the long-term survivors that will be used to assess the quality of the interaction, the number and duration of sessions, and topics discussed. Baseline and post-test measures of self-efficacy (Stanford Inventory of Cancer Patient Adjustment), social support (Modified Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors), and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale ) will be used to determine if the dyadic intervention decreases depression and increases self-efficacy and social support. Comorbidity (Charlson Index), and urinary and sexual dysfunction (UCLA Prostate Cancer Index) are expected to influence depression, hence data will be collected and these factors will be controlled. If dyadic interventions are shown to enhance survival and/or reduce depression among this group, results may be extended to others with cancer. Hence, this may be integrated in the treatment of cancer survivors in the future.





None