Evidence suggests cancer patients develop needs for concrete services when their disease recurs, advances, and/or when potentially toxic anti-tumor treatment is initiated. This process can begin either immediately or long after the time of initial diagnosis. Concrete needs can be classified into three groups: personal care; instrumental assistance; and help with administrative problems. The proposed project seeks to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment using a common instrument to be developed jointly with the National Cancer Institute of five hundred (500) patients undergoing treatment in a hospital-based medical oncology clinic or from participating community oncologists. Analyses of these survey data will be used to test the hypothesis that patients at risk of having unmet concrete service needs are those with functional deficits and with poor supports. Following the survey, we will initiate a prospective randomized clinical trial of the effects of a short-term case management and patient education program on at-risk cancer patients. A total of 250 patients drawn from clinic and private oncologists' caseloads will be randomized, and half will receive up to a three-month intervention. A pre/post-experimental design will measure the following outcomes at 3 and 6 months post-randomization; unmet needs, treatment compliance, disability days, service utilization, and service cost.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01CA041020-02
Application #
3548755
Study Section
(SRC)
Project Start
1985-09-01
Project End
1989-08-31
Budget Start
1986-09-01
Budget End
1987-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brown University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001785542
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02912
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Mor, V; Guadagnoli, E (1988) Quality of life measurement: a psychometric tower of Babel. J Clin Epidemiol 41:1055-8
Mor, V; Guadagnoli, E; Wool, M (1988) The role of concrete services in cancer care. Adv Psychosom Med 18:102-18
Mor, V (1987) Cancer patients' quality of life over the disease course: lessons from the real world. J Chronic Dis 40:535-44