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Oakley-Girvan I, Yunis R, Fonda SJ, Neeman E, Liu R, Aghaee S, Ramsey ME, Kubo A, Davis SW. A novel smartphone application for the informal caregivers of cancer patients: Usability study. PLOS DIGITAL HEALTH 2023; 2:e0000173. [PMID: 36867639 PMCID: PMC9983832 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Informal caregivers are a critical source of support for cancer patients. However, their perspectives are not routinely collected, despite health impacts related to the burden of caregiving. We created the TOGETHERCare smartphone application (app) to collect observer-reported outcomes regarding the cancer patient's health and caregiver's perceptions of their own mental and physical health, and to provide tips and resources for self-care and patient care. We enrolled 54 caregivers between October 2020 and March 2021 from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), an integrated healthcare system. Fifty caregivers used the app for approximately 28 days. Usability and acceptability were assessed using questions from the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), the System Usability Scale (SUS), the Net Promoter Score (NPS), and semi-structured interviews. The caregivers' mean age was 54.4 years, 38% were female and 36% were non-White. The SUS total mean score was 83.4 (SD = 14.2), for a percentile rank of 90-95 ("excellent"). Median MARS responses to the functionality questions were also high. The NPS score of 30 at the end of the study indicated that most caregivers would recommend the app. Themes from semi-structured interviews were consistent across the study period and indicated that the app was easy to use and helpful. Caregivers indicated a need for feedback from the app, suggested some changes to the wording of questions, the app's visuals, and timing of notifications. This study demonstrated that caregivers are willing to complete frequent surveys about themselves and their patients. The app is unique because it provides a remote method to collect caregivers' observations about the patient that may be useful for clinical care. To our knowledge, TOGETHERCare is the first mobile app developed specifically to capture adult cancer patient symptoms from the informal caregiver's perspective. Future research will examine whether use of this app can help improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reem Yunis
- Medable Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | | | - Elad Neeman
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Raymond Liu
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Sara Aghaee
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Maya E. Ramsey
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Ai Kubo
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon W. Davis
- Medable Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
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Secinti E, Fischer IC, Brennan EA, Christon L, Balliet W. The efficacy of psychosocial interventions for cancer caregiver burden: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Psychol Rev 2023; 99:102237. [PMID: 36516641 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Caregivers of adults with cancer often provide prolonged demanding assistance (e.g., physical, emotional) to their loved ones, resulting in caregiver burden. This meta-analytic review examined the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in reducing caregiver burden in caregivers of adults with cancer. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from six electronic databases and clinical trial registries. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted for subgroups of interventions and control conditions. Overall, 90 records describing 50 RCTs showed that psychosocial interventions reduced caregiver burden compared to passive controls (e.g. wait-list) at post-intervention (g = 0.26, 95%CI [0.12, 0.40]), but not at the first follow-up (g = 0.10, 95%CI [-0.05, 0.24]). Subgroup analyses showed that compared to passive controls, therapeutic counseling and skills training interventions significantly reduced caregiver burden at post-intervention, whereas psycho-education/support interventions did not significantly reduce burden. Very few RCTs examined intervention efficacy compared to active controls (e.g., psycho-education/support). The evidence grade ranged from very low to moderate due to inconsistency and imprecision of the results. Therapeutic counseling and skills training interventions appear efficacious in improving caregiver burden at post-intervention, although these improvements attenuate over time. Rigorous trials examining intervention effects on long-term outcomes are needed to better understand the effective mechanisms to sustain reduction in caregiver burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekin Secinti
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Ian C Fischer
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Emily A Brennan
- MUSC Libraries, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Lillian Christon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Wendy Balliet
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Yang Y, Poillucci V, Allen D, Pan W, McConnell E, Hendrix CC. Caregiver Characteristics Associated With Cognitive Complaints in Women With Breast Cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum 2021; 48:453-464. [PMID: 34143002 DOI: 10.1188/21.onf.453-464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore whether caregiver characteristics were associated with cognitive complaints reported by women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. SAMPLE & SETTING 61 dyads of women with breast cancer and their caregivers were recruited at Duke Women's Cancer Care Raleigh in North Carolina. METHODS & VARIABLES An exploratory, cross-sectional design was used. Data were obtained on patients and caregivers. Patient cognitive complaints were represented by cognitive impairment (CI) and cognitive ability (CA). RESULTS Two significant associations were found. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Healthcare providers should consider caregivers when assessing and managing patients' cognitive symptoms. This study suggests the value of including caregivers when establishing interventions for patients who have cognitive complaints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesol Yang
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
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