Expanding Rural Access: Distance Delivery of Support

Stanford University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Breast Cancer; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: supportive expressive group therapy using videoconferencing; Behavioral: workbook/journal on coping with breast cancer

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00186511

10AB-2801

Details and patient eligibility

About

The major goal of this project is to test the feasibility and acceptability of using videoconferencing to provide support groups led by trained facilitators to rural women with breast cancer in northern California.

Full description

Women with breast cancer in rural areas are likely exhaust their usual sources of psychosocial support while still facing challenges posed by breast cancer, but are unlikely to have access to professionally-led support groups. In this community-based project, we assessed the feasibility and acceptability of providing support groups to women with breast cancer in a large rural area using videoconferencing and a workbook journal, and we assessed the intervention's potential to reduce distress and increase emotional expression and self-efficacy for coping with cancer. Twenty-seven women in the Intermountain Region of northeastern California participated in 8-session support groups led by an oncology social worker by going to nearby videoconferencing sites. Feasibility and acceptability were demonstrated. Older as well as younger women were comfortable using videoconferencing and said the groups were valuable because they promoted information sharing and emotional bonds with other women with breast cancer. They emphasized the importance of a professional facilitator and identified advantages of using videoconferencing for support groups. Pretest and posttest comparisons showed significant decreases in depression and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The results suggest that the intervention has the potential to provide a valuable service that is not readily available in rural communities.

Sex: Female

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 1. has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and 2) is a woman

Exclusion criteria

• 1. under 21 years of age, and 2) does not speak and read English

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)