Background: Psychoeducational interventions, tested for efficacy in randomized clinical trials, are seldom implemented in clinical practice where cancer survivors and their family caregivers can benefit from them.
Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of the FOCUS Program on cancer survivors' and their family caregivers' outcomes when implemented at a Cancer Support Community (CSC) affiliate by agency social workers. Study aims were to (1) test effects of the program on survivor and caregiver outcomes as a unit and (2) determine program feasibility in terms of enrollment, retention, intervention fidelity, and satisfaction.
Methods: A preintervention and postintervention pilot effectiveness study was conducted with 34 cancer survivor-caregiver dyads (ie, pairs). The FOCUS Program, originally delivered by nurses in dyads' homes, was modified to a small-group format and delivered by CSC social workers. The primary outcome was quality of life (QOL). Intermediary outcomes were benefits of illness/caregiving, communication, support, and self-efficacy. Analyses included repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Results: Dyads had significant improvements in total QOL; physical, emotional, and functional QOL; benefits of illness; and self-efficacy. Effect sizes were similar to prior randomized clinical trial findings. Although dyads were difficult to recruit (enrollment, 60%), both retention (92%) and intervention fidelity (94%) were high.
Conclusions: It was possible to implement the FOCUS Program at a CSC affiliate by agency staff, obtain positive intervention effects, and maintain intervention fidelity.
Implications for practice: Researchers and clinicians need to collaborate to implement more evidence-based interventions in practice settings for cancer survivors and their family caregivers.