Clinical Research Directory

CommunityRx-Dementia + Peer Navigation (CRxDpeer)

The CRxDpeer intervention, delivered by a trained peer navigator, in practice called a "peer mentor", includes three evidence-based components: (a) focused education about common social (e.g., food and housing insecurity) and caregiving (e.g., respite and end of life care) needs, (b) activation of personalized community resource information for social and caregiving needs through delivery of a resource list (HealtheRx) at the baseline encounter and coaching on how to communicate with service providers, coordinate services and manage social support (e.g., connect with their peer navigator, reach out to friends or relatives for support, identify support groups, etc.) and (c) ongoing navigation-focused support meant to boost the baseline intervention, including a series of proactive text messages over 12 months. During this time, the subject can respond to and communicate with the peer navigator for ongoing support.

Mobile Health Application for Family Caregivers in Home Palliative Care

Family caregivers play a central role in providing daily care for patients receiving home palliative care. However, caregiving responsibilities may lead to increased burden, stress, and difficulties in symptom management and care coordination. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions may provide accessible education, symptom monitoring, and decision-support resources to improve caregiver outcomes and patient care. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile health application developed for family caregivers of patients receiving home palliative care. The primary outcome is caregiver competence. Secondary outcomes include caregiver burden, self-efficacy, patient symptom burden, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. A total of 120 family caregivers will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which will use the mobile health application for 6 weeks in addition to usual care, or the control group, which will receive usual care alone. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (Week 6), and follow-up (Week 18).

Couples-Based Yoga Program in Improving Quality of Life in Patients With High-Grade Glioma Undergoing Radiation Therapy and Their Partners

This randomized clinical trial studies couples-based yoga program in improving quality of life in patients with high-grade glioma undergoing radiation therapy and their partners. A couple-based Hatha yoga program may improve fatigue, distress, sleep quality, and overall quality of life in patients with glioma and their partners.

Preference of Room Setting and Waiting Time in Patients With Advanced, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Cancer and Their Caregivers Who Are Seen in the Outpatient Supportive/Palliative Care Center

This trial studies the preference of room setting and waiting time in patients with cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes or other places in the body and their caregivers who are seen in the outpatient supportive/palliative care center. Room setting preferences of patients and caregivers may help to understand their opinion regarding direct rooming system in the outpatient supportive/palliative care center.

Palliative Care Intervention in Improving Symptom Control and Quality of Life in Patients With Stage II-IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Family Caregivers

This clinical trial studies a palliative care intervention in improving symptom control and quality of life in patients with stage II-IV non-small cell lung cancer and their family caregivers. Palliative care programs can provide patients and their caregivers with information on how to manage their symptoms, maintain health and well-being, and access supportive care services. An interdisciplinary palliative care model may effectively link lung cancer patients to the appropriate supportive care services in a timely fashion.

Music for Pain and Dementia

This study aims to provide mechanistic insights into how group drumming as a music-based intervention (MBI) affects pain responses and nociceptive function in individuals with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and brain activity will be measured during communal drumming with their dyadic partners and others. Brain activity, blood pressure, cognitive abilities, blood hormone levels, and static and dynamic pain will also be measured during sessions pre and post the 8-week community drum circle. Investigators will leverage various measurement techniques including, but not limited to, electroencephalography (EEG), quantitative sensory testing (QST), behavioral, surveys, and physiological monitoring to study the impact of group drumming on pain and brain activity in AD and inter-dyad synchrony.

Support for Bereaved Cancer Caregivers

Friend and family caregivers of recently deceased cancer patients experience acute bereavement following the death. Post death bereavement is an intense period of mourning that includes an unfolding of the grief process and is characterized by strong emotions and demands on cognitive resources to those who have put aside their own needs to support the dying patient with cancer. This research will test the feasibility and acceptability of a nature-based healing meditation (NBHM) intervention to support cancer caregivers' during the bereavement process.

Mindfulness-based Lifestyle Modification Programme for Caregivers of People With Neurological Disorders

Over 80% of caregivers for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases (ND) engage in significant risk behaviors, particularly physical inactivity, which increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) by 30% and reduces life expectancy by 4-8 years. Despite the health benefits of maintaining healthy behaviors, awareness of behavioral risk management among healthcare professionals and the public is low, and research on this topic for ND caregivers is limited. Given that physical activity (PA) is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor, timely intervention is essential. International guidelines prioritize PA as a key strategy for caregiver health. However, existing PA interventions often struggle with low compliance due to the physical and emotional challenges caregivers face. Mindfulness-based lifestyle modification might help caregivers better manage physical discomfort, stress, and self-limiting beliefs, thereby supporting sustained PA by improving attentional regulation and psychological flexibility. The World Health Organization advocates for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention through brief lifestyle interventions, such as ecological momentary interventions (EMI), which use mobile messaging (e.g., WhatsApp) to deliver personalized health content. This method is particularly valuable for caregivers who find it difficult to access traditional services due to their responsibilities. A pilot RCT was conducted to compare B-Mindful-Life to brief lifestyle education program in Chinese neurodegenerative disease caregivers, demonstrating promising acceptability, engagement, and effect for increasing PA (NCT06583018). Therefore, this full-power randomized clinical trial aims to rigorously examine its effectiveness and broader impact on this underserved population with several advancement: (i) broaden the population into all neurological disorder caregivers to test for the generalizability of the B-Mindful-Life program; (ii) conduct a 12-month follow-up to assess long-term effects of B-Mindful-Life intervention in real-life settings; (iii) modify outcome measures for targeted assessment. The primary outcome will measure the change in accelerometer-determined, 10-minute bout moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over a 7-day period from baseline to post-intervention.

Mindfulness-based Lifestyle Modification Programme for Caregivers of People With Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial

Over 80% of caregivers for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases (ND) engage in significant risk behaviors, particularly physical inactivity, which increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) by 30% and reduces life expectancy by 4-8 years. Despite the health benefits of maintaining healthy behaviors, awareness of behavioral risk management among healthcare professionals and the public is low, and research on this topic for ND caregivers is limited. Given that physical activity (PA) is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor, timely intervention is essential. International guidelines prioritize PA as a key strategy for caregiver health. However, existing PA interventions often struggle with low compliance due to the physical and emotional challenges caregivers face. Our research group actively explores the health-regulating and enhancing effects of integrative mind-body modalities, particularly mindfulness, which may promote and sustain healthy behaviors by improving attentional regulation and psychological flexibility. Mindfulness-based lifestyle modification might help caregivers better manage physical discomfort, stress, and self-limiting beliefs, thereby supporting sustained PA. The World Health Organization advocates for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention through brief lifestyle interventions, such as ecological momentary interventions (EMI), which use mobile messaging (e.g., WhatsApp) to deliver personalized health content. This method is particularly valuable for caregivers who find it difficult to access traditional services due to their responsibilities. This pilot randomized clinical trial aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an EMI-enhanced "Brief and Blended Mindfulness-based Lifestyle Counselling Programme" (B-Mindful-Life) compared to brief lifestyle education for increasing PA among Chinese ND caregivers. The primary outcome will be the feasibility (rates of recruitment, eligibility, refusal, and retention at 2 and 5 months), and acceptability measures (adherence, incidence of adverse events, and satisfaction with intervention).

Dyadic Management Intervention in Older People With Co-occurring Cognitive Impairment and Diabetes as a Supplementary Approach to Chronic Diseases Self-Management Program

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of a dyadic management of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) for older adults with co-occurring cognitive impairment and diabetes with the involvement of caregivers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the intervention improve diabetes self-management and cognitive function in older adults? * How is the implementation of the intervention in real-world settings? Participants will: * Attend weekly CDSMP session over a 6-week period (2.5-hour per session). * Provide feedback on their experience with the intervention through interviews and surveys.

PRACOH Prevention Breakdown Support Advice Guidance Disability

The main objective of this prospective interventional study is to evaluate the impact of the stay in the dedicated transitional care unit, through the achievement of the patient's primary objective set at admission, directly related to their specific needs. It is expected to improve knowledge regarding the prevention of situations of breakdown and exhaustion in the living environment of people with disabilities. * This would improve the life and care pathways as well as the support provided to these individuals and their families and friends. * It would limit the use of unscheduled care services in crisis situations, thereby improving the quality of care and life.

CaknaStrok Education Package for Stroke Caregivers

This study evaluated the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the CaknaStrok Education Package (CEP), a culturally tailored education package developed to support informal caregivers of stroke survivors. The package consists of a mobile health application and a Malay-language caregiving guidebook covering stroke knowledge, caregiving strategies, rehabilitation, nutrition, secondary prevention and caregiver self-care. The study compared caregivers receiving the CaknaStrok Education Package in addition to usual care with those receiving usual care alone. The study assessed outcomes related to caregiving burden, quality of life and psychological well-being, as well as the feasibility of implementing the intervention within routine stroke care.

FearLess in NeuroOncology

The overarching goal of this project is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of recruitment methods, target population, and a waitlist design to finalize the protocol of FearLess in primary malignant brain tumor patients and caregivers

Assessment of Cancer-related Post-traumatic Stress in Patients and Caregivers in the Year Following Diagnosis, and Identification of Their Expectations of Personalized Support - CANDYSTRESS

The impact of cancer on the lives of patients and their caregivers is undeniable. In addition to the potentially traumatic aspects (i.e., creating a very violent emotional shock) linked to the announcement of the disease and the various stages of the care pathway (effects of treatment, announcement of a cancer recurrence), even before the onset of the disease, patients and their caregivers may have been directly or indirectly confronted with traumatogenic events (e.g., childhood abuse, sudden death). They may therefore be more likely to develop a stress-related mental disorder in their lifetime. The question of the accumulation of traumatic events, the identification of groups of people at risk of developing symptoms of distress, and the management of these symptoms is therefore crucial. In addition, the mutual influence within the patient-caregiver dyad in terms of emotional adjustment, and its evolution throughout the cancer care pathway, are key elements to be considered in these issues. The CandyStress project is based on a partnership with patients, their caregivers and carers to identify the needs of patient-caregiver dyads at risk of cancer-related post-traumatic stress disorder (Ca-PTS). Longitudinal screening for Ca-PTS in the year following cancer diagnosis will be carried out to identify the characteristics of at-risk dyads who could benefit from long-term support. The aim of this project is to identify the potential need for targeted support and the desired format of this support. This is a preliminary step in identifying needs and the context conducive to the implementation of personalized support, but in no way an evaluation of the effectiveness of an intervention.

Neurophysiological Benefits of Live Music for Early Alzheimer's Patients and Their Caregivers

This study aims to investigate the neurophysiological effects of live music on individuals with early Alzheimer's Disease (AD), dementia, and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their caregivers. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and brain activity will be measured as participant-caregiver dyads listen to preferred and improvised music performed by professional musicians. Investigators will leverage various measurement techniques including, but not limited to, electroencephalography (EEG), behavioral, surveys, and physiological monitoring to study the impact of live music on anxiety in AD and inter-dyad synchrony.

Testing Heart Failure Resilience Intervention for Caregivers (HEROIC) in Advanced Heart Failure

This study will test the mechanisms of a multi-component, nurse-led, primary palliative care intervention, HEart failure Resilience Intervention for Caregivers (HEROIC) to improve caregiver mental well-being, patient health-related quality of life and unplanned acute care in the setting of advanced heart failure. The investigators will conduct a multi-site, randomized controlled trial to test proposed mechanisms of action in a large sample (N=500) of persons with heart failure and the caregivers. The investigators will also examine variation in response to HEROIC components by heart failure subgroup (ventricular assist device, heart transplant or medically managed heart failure).

Effectiveness of a Digital Activity Platform for Informal and Formal Caregivers in Long-Term Care Facilities

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a digital engagement platform can support caregivers working in long-term care facilities. The main question is: Does the use of a digital engagement platform improve person-centred care for older adults living in long-term care facilities? The study includes formal caregivers (such as nursing staff) and informal caregivers (such as volunteers, family members, and civilian service participants) who provide care and support to older adults in long-term care facilities. One group of participants will use the digital engagement platform as part of their daily care activities. A comparison group will continue with usual care without access to the platform. Participants will take part in the study for 12 weeks and complete questionnaires at several time points. In addition, platform usage data will be collected. In addition to person-centred care, the study will examine: * Whether the platform improves caregivers' cultural competence. * Whether the platform supports the collection and documentation of residents' life history information. * How often and how long the platform is used by caregivers. * Caregivers' experiences with and satisfaction with the platform. The findings may help improve digital tools that support caregivers and enhance the quality of care for older adults in long-term care settings.

Frequency of Cachexia in Ambulatory Cancer Patients and Psychological Burden in Patients and Their Primary Caregivers

This trial studies the frequency of cachexia in ambulatory cancer patients and the psychological burden in patients and their primary caregivers who are referred to an outpatient supportive care clinic. Studying how often loss of appetite and/or unintentional weight loss (cachexia) occurs in patients seen in the supportive care clinic may help researchers develop new ways to lower stress in patients who suffer from loss of appetite and weight loss as well as their family caregivers.

The Effect of Dyadic Self-Care Education Provided to Breast Cancer Patient-Caregiver Dyads on Patient and Caregiver Outcomes

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of dyadic self-care education provided to breast cancer patient-caregiver dyads receiving outpatient chemotherapy on patient self-care behaviors, anxiety levels, and caregiver anxiety levels and caregiver burden. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a dyadic self-care education intervention or routine care. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and follow-up using validated instruments.

Effectiveness of Strength-based Intervention for Elderly With Dementia Living in the Community

In the realm of dementia care, the imperative to intervene at the earliest stages of cognitive decline is paramount. Recognizing this pivotal moment, the development of innovative and effective interventions becomes imperative in delaying dementia progression. Rooted in the Roy Adaptation Model and Zimmer's Theory of Psychological Empowerment, the investigator team has developed the empowerment-based dyadic strength-based intervention, which integrates strength-based and empowerment methodologies. Emphasizing a shift from deficits to capabilities, the strength-based approach fosters awareness of collective strengths within care dyads, facilitating coping mechanisms and resilience in the face of cognitive afflictions.

New Assessment System in Measuring Symptom Distress in Cancer Patients

This trial studies how well a new assessment system (MDASI or other MD Anderson-developed PRO instrument) works in measuring symptoms and the impact on quality of life in cancer patients. Development of a new assessment system may provide more information about the common symptoms that may occur in patients due to cancer and its treatment and how the symptoms impact quality of life.

The Effect of PEG Use Education on the Care Burden and Quality of Life of Patients' Relatives

The study was planned to evaluate the effects of discharge training on PEG use given to palliative care patients' relatives on the caregiver burden and quality of life of the relatives. The main questions that the study aims to answer are as follows: * How does PEG training given before discharge affect the knowledge level of caregivers on PEG use? * How does PEG training given before discharge affect the caregiver burden? * How does PEG training given before discharge affect the caregiver's caregiver stress? * How does PEG training given before discharge affect the quality of life of the caregivers? The researchers will compare the PEG training given before discharge with a control group that did not receive training in this regard in order to evaluate the effects of PEG training given before discharge on the caregiver burden, caregiver stress and quality of life of the caregivers. The study will use a general information form, the Caregiver Burden Scale, the Caregiver Stress Index Form, the SF 36 Quality of Life Scale, and the Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Nutrition Information Scale for Caregivers. Participants: * Face-to-face interviews will be conducted with caregivers at 0, 1, and 3 months. * The forms used in the study will be filled out at each interview. * The intervention group will be trained only at the first interview.

Dysphagia Management for Caregivers of Stroke Patients

This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dysphagia management training provided to caregivers of stroke patients receiving home care. The sample size was determined using power analysis (n=84). Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, Short Form-36 (SF-36) Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Dysphagia Management Knowledge Form for Stroke Patients. Questionnaires were administered to both groups at baseline, the 1st month, and the 3rd month. The first application was administered to the intervention group before the education session.

RCT of QPS vs General Information Sheet

This trial studies how well information materials work in helping communication between physicians and participants with cancer that has spread to other places in the body and their caregivers. Approaches that encourage participants to actively participate and ask appropriate questions during their visit may be important to enhance their understanding of their illness and empower them to make important decisions regarding their medical care.