Perceived Benefits and Burdens of Participation for Caregivers of Cancer Patients in Hospice Clinical Trials: A Pilot Study

Nursing Support for Caregiver Burden in Family Caregivers of Patients With Cancer: A Scoping Review

Purpose: To identify nursing support for caregiver burden in family caregivers of patients with cancer. Methods: This scoping review was guided by Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage scoping review framework. All available published articles from database inception to July 31, 2023 were systematically searched through PubMed, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and Ichushi-Web of the Japan Medical Abstract Society databases with additional relevant studies from the article list. Each key journal was manually searched. Results: Overall, 502 articles were screened, and 34 were finally included. The results of the qualitative thematic analysis were categorized into 7 components of nursing support: psychological and educational support, psychological and educational support using mainly non-face-to-face (Information and Communication Technology), psychological and educational support mainly using non-face-to-face (telephone) methods, mindfulness to support, support aimed at reducing caregiver stress, support for both patients and caregivers, and others. Of the 34 studies, 23 were randomized controlled trials (RCT), and the remaining 11 were non-RCTs. Conclusion: The results of the scoping review categorized nursing support for caregiver burden in the family caregivers of patients with cancer into 7 components. Future research should examine the feasibility of implementing these components.

Is our public research money well spent? Publication of research outputs from Health Research Council of New Zealand-funded studies: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the reporting of results from the projects and programmes funded by the Health Research Council (HRC) New Zealand.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional analysis.

SETTING

Research projects and programmes funded by the HRC New Zealand from 2006 to 2014.

PARTICIPANTS

Publicly available data provided by the HRC.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The number and proportion with evidence of publication and dissemination of a research output from HRC grants and the time taken to disseminate the results.

RESULTS

Of the 374 HRC grants from 2006 to 2014, there was no evidence of publication or reporting of any research output for 48 studies (13%). Of the 326 (87%) grants with research outputs, there was a mean dissemination time of 4.73 years (SD 2.37). The total funding provided by the HRC was NZ$471 663 336, while the 48 grants with no evidence of dissemination represented NZ$47 095 727 (10%).

CONCLUSIONS

Thirteen per cent of the HRC projects and programmes from 2006 to 2014 have not contributed to the healthcare evidence as their results remain unknown.

Recruitment, Retention and Intervention Delivery Experiences With Hospice Family Caregivers

BACKGROUND

Recruitment and attrition are inherently challenging issues in hospice research. We sought to describe strategies of recruitment, retention, and delivery of NOVELA (short for telenovela), an intervention for hospice family caregivers (HFCG).

METHODS

Statistics were kept of every referral, consenting participant, visit session, and intervention activity. We used the Social Marketing Mix Framework to describe recruiting strategies employed and lessons learned.

RESULTS

Two hospices in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region referred 47 HFCG and N = 20 agreed to participate, out of which 50% (N = 10) completed all 4 sessions with an average of 2.8 sessions per person, each lasting an average duration of 13.5 minutes (range 8.0-25.7). The main reason for missing a session was a patient's death (N = 8). Successful recruitment strategies employed in NOVELA included: (a) intensive start-up hospice engagement, (b) remote recruitment and delivery of NOVELA, and (c) scheduling flexibility to work around caregivers' other demands.

CONCLUSION

The recruitment and intervention delivery had successes and challenges resulting in the identification of multiple opportunities to strengthen our strategy and inform future studies with HFCGs.

Hospice Family Caregiver Perceptions of Benefits and Challenges of a Telenovela Educational Intervention

Background: Telenovelas show significant promise as a mode of education that could potentially enhance hospice family caregivers' (HFCG) ability to manage distress or pain for themselves and the care recipient. Objectives: We sought to understand HFCGs' perceived benefits and challenges of NOVELA using the Levels of Kirkpatrick as a conceptual framework. Setting/Subjects: HFCGs from two hospices in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Measurements: Semistructured interviews were conducted to understand perceptions of HFCGs on the benefits and challenges of the NOVELA intervention. Results: Participants (N = 20) in our study were mainly homebound, well educated, White female, and adult children of people with advanced cancer who reported mild anxiety and moderate self-efficacy at baseline. Three unique themes were identified: acceptability of NOVELA, usability and relevance of NOVELA, and the effect of NOVELA. According to our conceptual model, the intervention positively affects all three adult learning categories: reaction, learning, and behavior. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HFCGs support the proposed NOVELA intervention and it appears to be an acceptable educational tool during hospice care (NCT04533594).

New research questions identified for Cochrane reviews: a cross-sectional study of a specialized register: part one: gynecology

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this project was to identify gaps and research waste in the dissemination of gynecology evidence in Cochrane systematic reviews (CSRs).

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional study of the Cochrane Gynecology and Fertility (CGF) Group's specialized register of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We included trials on benign gynecological conditions, published in 2010 and 2011. These trials were matched, by the condition and treatment, to existing Cochrane reviews. Unmatched trials were analysed to prioritize new review titles.

RESULTS

After exporting 740 trials from the CGF specialized register, we found that 192 (26%) could be included in an existing CSR if it was updated, whereas 230 trials (32%) were not matched to any review title, and from these, we developed 21 new review titles. The topic with the largest number of associated 'unused' trials was 'Plant and herbal extracts for symptoms of menopause'.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that a third of the benign gynecology trials published in 2010 and 2011 had no associated CSR. After identifying new topics from unmatched trials, we developed new CSR titles. This study identified the gaps in the evidence for women with gynecological problems.