NCT00214162

Brief Summary

Web-Based Support for Informal Caregivers in Cancer Brief Summary (including hypothesis): Informal caregivers need information, skills and emotional support to address physical, spiritual, and emotional needs associated with chronic illnesses including late stage cancer. Unfortunately, current conditions force clinicians to reduce their interaction time with patients and informal caregivers. Complimentary methods must be developed to provide needed information and support to caregivers. The proposed research will measure and explain the impact of two computer-based support systems that meet caregiver needs and facilitate information exchange with clinicians. The system, CHESS (Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) is a non-commercial computer system that provides patients with disease specific information, emotional support and skill building tools. In the expanded form to be tested in this study, CHESS with Caregiver Support (CGCHESS) will also provide the caregiver with more information, support and skills training related to palliative care. CGCHESS will be further enhanced to communicate essential patient and caregiver information to clinicians prior to a scheduled clinic visit and when patient symptoms exceed a threshold. The investigators' primary hypothesis is that CGCHESS + Clinician Report (CR) will reduce caregiver burden more than CGCHESS because of the additional support caregivers and patients receive from clinicians who have access to the CHESS clinician report. Secondary analyses will study the mechanisms of the CHESS effect. Specifically the investigators anticipate that the CHESS effect on caregivers will be mediated by the CHESS effect on interaction patterns with clinicians, satisfaction with clinical visits and by the CHESS effect on four patient outcomes (quality of life, negative affect, average severity of nine common late-stage cancers).

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
235

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable breast-cancer

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2004

Typical duration for not_applicable breast-cancer

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2004

Completed
1.1 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

September 13, 2005

Completed
8 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

September 21, 2005

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 1, 2008

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 1, 2008

Completed
Last Updated

March 19, 2012

Status Verified

March 1, 2012

Enrollment Period

3.7 years

First QC Date

September 13, 2005

Last Update Submit

March 16, 2012

Conditions

Breast CancerProstate Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Improve caregiver burden

    every 2 months

  • Improve affect, coping, self-efficacy and information competence

    every 2 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Mechanisms of CHESS effects

    every 2 months

Study Arms (2)

1

OTHER

internet access and computer for 1 year

Behavioral: computer with internet

2

EXPERIMENTAL

computer and Full CHESS

Behavioral: Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System

Interventions

Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support SystemBEHAVIORAL

Full CHESS

2
computer with internetBEHAVIORAL

computer with internet use x 1 year

1

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Metastatic breast or prostate cancer patients and their primary caregivers

You may not qualify if:

  • Cannot be homeless

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States

Location

Related Publications (7)

  • DuBenske LL, Burke Beckjord E, Hawkins RP, Gustafson DH. Psychometric evaluation of the Health Information Orientation Scale: a brief measure for assessing health information engagement and apprehension. J Health Psychol. 2009 Sep;14(6):721-30. doi: 10.1177/1359105309338892.

    PMID: 19687109BACKGROUND

  • DuBenske LL, Gustafson DH, Shaw BR, Cleary JF. Web-based cancer communication and decision making systems: connecting patients, caregivers, and clinicians for improved health outcomes. Med Decis Making. 2010 Nov-Dec;30(6):732-44. doi: 10.1177/0272989X10386382. Epub 2010 Nov 1.

    PMID: 21041539BACKGROUND

  • Wen KY, Gustafson DH. Needs assessment for cancer patients and their families. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2004 Feb 26;2:11. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-2-11.

    PMID: 14987334RESULT

  • Dubenske LL, Chih MY, Dinauer S, Gustafson DH, Cleary JF. Development and implementation of a clinician reporting system for advanced stage cancer: initial lessons learned. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2008 Sep-Oct;15(5):679-86. doi: 10.1197/jamia.M2532. Epub 2008 Jun 25.

    PMID: 18579837RESULT

  • DuBenske LL, Chih MY, Gustafson DH, Dinauer S, Cleary JF. Caregivers' participation in the oncology clinic visit mediates the relationship between their information competence and their need fulfillment and clinic visit satisfaction. Patient Educ Couns. 2010 Dec;81 Suppl:S94-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2010.08.022. Epub 2010 Sep 28.

    PMID: 20880656RESULT

  • Gustafson DH, DuBenske LL, Atwood AK, Chih MY, Johnson RA, McTavish F, Quanbeck A, Brown RL, Cleary JF, Shah D. Reducing Symptom Distress in Patients With Advanced Cancer Using an e-Alert System for Caregivers: Pooled Analysis of Two Randomized Clinical Trials. J Med Internet Res. 2017 Nov 14;19(11):e354. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7466.

    PMID: 29138131DERIVED

  • Chih MY, DuBenske LL, Hawkins RP, Brown RL, Dinauer SK, Cleary JF, Gustafson DH. Communicating advanced cancer patients' symptoms via the Internet: a pooled analysis of two randomized trials examining caregiver preparedness, physical burden, and negative mood. Palliat Med. 2013 Jun;27(6):533-43. doi: 10.1177/0269216312457213. Epub 2012 Sep 17.

    PMID: 22988042DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breast NeoplasmsProstatic Neoplasms

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasms by SiteNeoplasmsBreast DiseasesSkin DiseasesSkin and Connective Tissue DiseasesGenital Neoplasms, MaleUrogenital NeoplasmsGenital Diseases, MaleGenital DiseasesUrogenital DiseasesProstatic DiseasesMale Urogenital Diseases

Study Officials

  • David Gustafson, PhD

    University of Wisconsin, Madison

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

September 13, 2005

First Posted

September 21, 2005

Study Start

August 1, 2004

Primary Completion

April 1, 2008

Study Completion

April 1, 2008

Last Updated

March 19, 2012

Record last verified: 2012-03

Locations

US(1)