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