Grant Details
Grant Number: |
5R03CA119692-03 Interpret this number |
Primary Investigator: |
Posluszny, Donna |
Organization: |
University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh |
Project Title: |
Brief Psychosocial Intervention for Head and Neck Cancer Patients and Partners |
Fiscal Year: |
2008 |
Abstract
The proposed pilot research is in response to one of NCI's goals of this program announcement, which is to
examine both adverse and positive effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment on patients and families, and to
develop and evaluate interventions to improve quality of life and decrease negative outcomes. This
prospective, longitudinal project seeks to further our understanding of the psychosocial sequelae of head
and neck cancer for both patients and their partners or spouses, using both quantitative and qualitative
methods, and to develop and test the feasibility of a brief couples intervention designed to improve the
couples' well-being, quality of life, and relationship. The uncertainty and life threatening nature of cancer
diagnoses can lead to anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress. Further, head and neck cancer is a
physically and emotionally devastating disease that can cause facial disfigurement, as well as difficulties with
speech, eating, and mobility. This results in poor quality of life. Spouses of patients also experience distress,
caregiver burden, and decreases in their own quality of life. Although behavioral medicine interventions
designed to improve psychological adjustment and quality of life in cancer patients have shown promising
outcomes, head and neck cancer has been understudied in this context and there has been little research on
including spouses in the intervention, or targeting the relationship for intervention. The specific aims of the
proposed research are to (1) characterize both negative and positive symptoms of adjustment to head and
neck cancer in patients and their partners over time, and to examine the psychosocial pathways in which
relationship-focused coping and relationship quality may affect these symptoms. Negative symptoms
include traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety and positive symptoms include enhanced growth and
quality of life; (2) qualitatively examine the impact of head and neck cancer on patients, partners, and their
relationship; and (3) to evaluate the feasibility of a brief two-session couples intervention to improve quality
of life and relationship quality. Eighty couples (n=160) will be recruited. Distress, traumatic stress, positive
outcomes, coping, relationship quality, and quality of life will be assessed in both patients and partners at
one and six months after cancer diagnosis. Twenty of these couples will also participate in a qualitative
interview. Ten additional couples will be recruited to test the feasibilty of the psychosocial intervention.
Publications
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in newly diagnosed patients with head and neck cancer and their partners.
Authors: Posluszny D.M.
, Dougall A.L.
, Johnson J.T.
, Argiris A.
, Ferris R.L.
, Baum A.
, Bovbjerg D.H.
, Dew M.A.
.
Source: Head & Neck, 2015 Sep; 37(9), p. 1282-9.
PMID: 24817018
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