Investigating the Feasibility and Acceptability of an Innovative Interdisciplinary Supportive Care Program: Couples Coping Together Against Cancer

Investigating the Feasibility and Acceptability of an Innovative Interdisciplinary Supportive Care Program: Couples Coping Together Against Cancer

This study evaluates how useful and acceptable the components of the "Couples Coping Together Against Cancer", referred to as "The Program", are to the participants with cancer.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Establish feasibility of The Program and its central components. II. Investigate the acceptability of The Program and its central components.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. Assess the preliminary efficacy of The Program in the domain of patients' and partners' biopsychosocial distress and longitudinal impact of the program on them.

OUTLINE: This is an observational study.

Patient and partners receive access to the Connecting Care App tool and undergo biopsychosocial screening and psychoeducation sessions over 30-45 minutes and complete surveys on study. Patients and partners may also receive counseling sessions over 30-45 minutes for up to 4 sessions on study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Have received a diagnosis of a primary brain tumor (glioblastoma), or other cancers (breast, lung, etc.)
• Are new patients to City of Hope (COH) (all sites) or receive at least some of their care at City of Hope- Duarte Campus (care is defined as: procedures, consults, laboratories, imaging, surgery, and/or treatment)
• The patient is in a committed relationship/partnership with a partner and the partner is available and willing to participate
• Are English or Spanish speaking
• ≥ 18 years of age
• Have access to a smartphone, computer/laptop or internet connection to complete all study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant cognitive impairment

• Inpatient psychiatric treatment for severe mental illness or overt signs of severe psychopathology (e.g., psychosis)

• Visual, hearing, voice, or motor impairment that prevents completion of study procedures as evidenced by clinical judgment

• Committed partners will be excluded from the study if they:

  • Refuse to complete informed consent
  • Have cognitive impairment
  • Have severe mental illness that would prevent informed consent and completion of study activities as evidenced by clinical judgment