Improving Clinical and Family Communication for Adult Child Caregivers of a Parent With a Blood Cancer: Single-Arm Pre-Post Pilot Intervention

Carma L Bylund; Easton N Wollney; Gemme Campbell-Salome; Allison J Applebaum; Samantha R Paige; Kennan DeGruccio; Elisa Weiss; Maria Sae-Hau; Jason Arnold; Domenic Durante; Tithi B Amin; Chelsea N Hampton; Carla L Fisher

doi:10.2196/38722

Improving Clinical and Family Communication for Adult Child Caregivers of a Parent With a Blood Cancer: Single-Arm Pre-Post Pilot Intervention

JMIR Cancer. 2022 Jul 5;8(3):e38722. doi: 10.2196/38722.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
² Geisinger, Danville, PA, United States.
³ Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States.
⁴ STEM Translational Communication Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
⁵ School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
⁶ The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rye Brook, NY, United States.
⁷ E-Learning, Technology and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
⁸ Department of Advertising, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.

PMID: 35788019
PMCID: PMC9297135
DOI: 10.2196/38722

Abstract

Background: Adult child caregivers of parents with cancer may face challenges when communicating with the patient and other family members, communicating during clinical interactions, and navigating web-based information seeking.

Objective: We developed and pilot-tested the Healthy Communication Practice program for adult child caregivers of parents with a blood cancer, which aims to help participants learn and implement communication skills central to caregiving. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the training.

Methods: Eligible participants completed a preprogram survey. We assessed the feasibility of participants completing the intervention in the allotted time. Participants had 2 weeks to complete the 2-part, 90-minute online program and completed a postprogram survey that included program evaluation items and the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM) using a 1-5 rating scale (5=strongly agree).

Results: Of 50 caregivers who initially expressed interest, 34 consented, and 30 completed the program and both surveys (88% completion rate). Caregivers had a mean age of 45.07 (SD 11.96) years and provided care for parents who had a mean age of 73.31 (SD 9.38) years. Caregivers were primarily daughters (n=22, 73%). Overall, scores on the AIM scale were high (mean 4.48, SD 0.67). Specifically, caregivers felt the content met their communication needs (mean 4.58, SD 0.62) and their own needs as a caregiver of a parent with a blood cancer (mean 4.39, SD 0.72).

Conclusions: We demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the Healthy Communication Practice program, which aims to enhance family and clinical communication skills among caregivers of a parent with a blood cancer. Future studies will examine the efficacy of the program and its impact on both caregiver and patient communication and health outcomes.

Keywords: acceptability; blood cancer; cancer patent; caregiver; clinical communication; clinician-patient communication; eHealth literacy; family communication; feasibility; health information; healthy communication practice; mobile phone; oncology; smartphone; web-based information seeking.

©Carma L Bylund, Easton N Wollney, Gemme Campbell-Salome, Allison J Applebaum, Samantha R Paige, Kennan DeGruccio, Elisa Weiss, Maria Sae-Hau, Jason Arnold, Domenic Durante, Tithi B Amin, Chelsea N Hampton, Carla L Fisher. Originally published in JMIR Cancer (https://cancer.jmir.org), 05.07.2022.

Abstract

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