The National Palliative Care Research Center

Curing suffering through palliative care research.

Pozzar,

Rachel Pozzar, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Grant Year
2021
Grant Term
2 years
Grant Type
Kornfeld Scholars Program

Project Description
Development and Pilot Testing of a Collaborative Agenda-Setting Intervention for Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Patients with advanced ovarian cancer experience a complex array of physical symptoms and bear a disproportionately high burden of psychological distress. Patient-centered communication occurs when clinicians elicit and respond to patients’ needs, preferences, concerns, and emotions. Greater perceived patient-centered communication is associated with better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ovarian cancer, yet interventions to promote patient-centered communication in the advanced ovarian cancer care setting are limited. In addition, many existing communication interventions suffer from limited scalability and effectiveness. In the absence of a scalable, effective communication intervention, the potential for patient-centered communication to improve HRQoL for patients with advanced ovarian cancer may go unrealized.

The overall objective of the proposed research is to refine and conduct preliminary tests of a collaborative agenda-setting intervention (CASI) to facilitate patient-centered communication in the advanced ovarian cancer care setting. The aims of this project are to (1) refine the content and delivery characteristics of a wireframe CASI prototype to inform development of a web-based CASI prototype; (2) assess the usability and acceptability of a web-based CASI prototype; and (3) assess whether a pilot randomized controlled trial of the CASI vs. usual care is justified.

The proposed research will advance the field by refining and testing a novel, scalable approach to promoting patient-centered communication in the advanced ovarian cancer care setting. Completion of the proposed research and training plan will provide Dr. Pozzar with critical training in behavioral intervention development and clinical trials design.


Bio

Rachel Pozzar, PhD, RN, FNP-BC is a nurse scientist in the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She received a PhD from Northeastern University, an MSN from Boston College, and a BSN from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Dr. Pozzar completed her post-doctoral fellowship in the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and is currently a Society for Medical Decision Making fellow in medical decision making. Dr. Pozzar’s research is focused on patient-clinician communication; health-related quality of life; and treatment decision making among individuals with advanced gynecologic cancers.

 


Email: rachel_pozzar@dfci.harvard.edu