Abstract

This long-term objective of this project is to improve the quality of patient dying and death by the appropriate use of complementary medicine (CAM).
Specific Aim 1 is to test a prospective randomized controlled trial of guided meditation and massage therapy that will complement allopathic comfort care for persons with advanced cancer and AIDS. Hospice organizations, oncologists and HIV specialists would be used to recruit 300 eligible clients for the CAM intervention trial. Patients will be randomized to one of three intervention arms. Arm 1 will test the palliative value of massage, Arm 2 will use guided meditation, and Arm 3 will control using friendly visits. Outcomes will include measures over time of physical and depressive symptoms, mood, quality of life, functional status and measures of positive affect.
Specific Aim 2 is to measure the effect of these CAM interventions on a secondary endpoint, the quality of dying and death (QODD). The QODD is a questionnaire administered to a significant other that has been specifically created to capture factors that may ultimately be as important in improving the quality of dying than just pain and symptom management. Holistic outcomes that may be influenced by CAM treatments such as being at peace, and improving the fear of dying are measured. ? ?

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA106204-02
Application #
6797376
Study Section
AIDS and Related Research 8 (AARR)
Program Officer
O'Mara, Ann M
Project Start
2003-09-02
Project End
2007-08-31
Budget Start
2004-09-17
Budget End
2005-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$465,142
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Washington
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195

  Publications

Downey, Lois; Curtis, J Randall; Lafferty, William E et al. (2010) The Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire (QODD): empirical domains and theoretical perspectives. J Pain Symptom Manage 39:9-22
Downey, Lois; Engelberg, Ruth A (2010) Quality-of-life trajectories at the end of life: assessments over time by patients with and without cancer. J Am Geriatr Soc 58:472-9
Downey, Lois; Engelberg, Ruth A; Curtis, J Randall et al. (2009) Shared priorities for the end-of-life period. J Pain Symptom Manage 37:175-88
Downey, Lois; Diehr, Paula; Standish, Leanna J et al. (2009) Might massage or guided meditation provide ""means to a better end""? Primary outcomes from an efficacy trial with patients at the end of life. J Palliat Care 25:100-8
Downey, Lois; Engelberg, Ruth A; Standish, Leanna J et al. (2009) Three lessons from a randomized trial of massage and meditation at end of life: patient benefit, outcome measure selection, and design of trials with terminally ill patients. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 26:246-53
Diehr, Paula; Lafferty, William E; Patrick, Donald L et al. (2007) Quality of life at the end of life. Health Qual Life Outcomes 5:51