Palliative Care Coaching for Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Cancer

Compared with usual care, does a lay coach–led palliative care coaching intervention for African American and rural-dwelling family caregivers improve distress, quality of life, and burden for themselves and their patients with advanced cancer?In this randomized clinical trial among 222 family caregivers and 165 patients, there were no statistically significant differences in primary or secondary caregiver or patient outcomes at 24 weeks; however, participants distressed at baseline were observed to have potentially relevant clinical outcomes in an exploratory analysis.Although this study’s intervention did not improve caregiver or patient outcomes overall, exploratory analyses suggest potential benefits of targeted support for caregivers of patients with advanced cancer.

Corresponding Author: J. Nicholas Odom, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham (dionneod@uab.edu), 1720 2nd Avenue South, Plaza 214, Birmingham, AL 35294.

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