CHESS Caregivers Study: Web-based Support for Informal Caregivers in Cancer
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00214162 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : September 21, 2005
Last Update Posted : March 19, 2012
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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).
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Breast Cancer Prostate Cancer | Behavioral: Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System Behavioral: computer with internet | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 235 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Supportive Care |
Official Title: | Web-based Support for Informal Caregivers in Cancer |
Study Start Date : | August 2004 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | April 2008 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | April 2008 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
1
internet access and computer for 1 year
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Behavioral: computer with internet
computer with internet use x 1 year |
Experimental: 2
computer and Full CHESS
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Behavioral: Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System
Full CHESS |
- Improve caregiver burden [ Time Frame: every 2 months ]
- Improve affect, coping, self-efficacy and information competence [ Time Frame: every 2 months ]
- Mechanisms of CHESS effects [ Time Frame: every 2 months ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Metastatic breast or prostate cancer patients and their primary caregivers
Exclusion Criteria:
- Cannot be homeless

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00214162
United States, Wisconsin | |
University of Wisconsin | |
Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53706 |
Principal Investigator: | David Gustafson, PhD | University of Wisconsin, Madison |
Other Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | University of Wisconsin, Madison |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00214162 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2002-436 1R01NR008260-01 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | September 21, 2005 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 19, 2012 |
Last Verified: | March 2012 |
Prostatic Neoplasms Genital Neoplasms, Male Urogenital Neoplasms |
Neoplasms by Site Neoplasms Prostatic Diseases |