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Amonoo HL, Guo M, Boardman AC, Acharya N, Daskalakis E, Deary EC, Waldman LP, Gudenkauf L, Lee SJ, Joffe H, Addington EL, Moskowitz JT, Huffman JC, El-Jawahri A. A Positive Psychology Intervention for Caregivers of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Survivors (PATH-C): Initial Testing and Single-Arm Pilot Trial. Transplant Cell Ther 2024; 30:448.e1-448.e14. [PMID: 38266964 PMCID: PMC11009093 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2024.01.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Caregivers of patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) play a crucial role in supporting their loved ones through physical, emotional, and practical challenges. This role has been associated with high levels of psychological distress and low levels of positive psychological well-being (PPWB). Positive psychology interventions for caregivers in other disease groups (eg, breast cancer) have been associated with improved outcomes. However, positive psychology interventions that specifically address HSCT caregivers' psychological needs are currently lacking. The goal of this single-arm open-pilot trial was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the Positive Affect in the Transplantation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (PATH) intervention for HSCT Caregivers to identify caregiver preferences to tailor PATH for HSCT caregivers. Adult caregivers of HSCT recipients were eligible for PATH during the HSCT recipient's first 100 d post-transplant. We defined, a priori, feasibility as >60% of participants who start the intervention completing ≥6/9 intervention sessions and acceptability as weekly ratings of ease and utility of the PP exercises ≥7/10 on a 10-point Likert Scale (0 = very difficult/not helpful; 10 = very easy/very helpful). We conducted semistructured qualitative exit interviews (n = 15) to explore HSCT caregivers' perception of PATH's content, benefits of PATH, as well as facilitators and barriers to engaging with the intervention. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using framework-guided rapid analysis by 2 coders. The intervention was feasible with 83% (15/18) of caregivers who started the intervention completing ≥6/9 intervention sessions. Among caregivers who completed ≥6/9 intervention sessions, ratings of ease (mean = 8.1; 95% CI: 7.4, 8.7) and utility (mean = 8.3; 95% CI: 7.8, 8.9) also exceeded our a priori threshold of ≥7/10. Caregivers identified benefits of PATH, including identifying and responding to emotions, dedicating time to self-care, and cultivating important relationships. Sociodemographic factors (eg, being retired) and the manualized structure of PATH were cited as facilitators to intervention engagement. Barriers to PATH engagement included lack of time and competing caregiving responsibilities. Caregivers preferred remote intervention delivery within the first 100 d post HSCT. This is the first study to show a 9-wk, phone-delivered positive psychology intervention is feasible in caregivers of allogeneic HSCT recipients. Our findings also underscore the specific preferences of this population for positive psychology interventions. Larger studies are warranted to establish the efficacy of these interventions in addressing persistent unmet psychological needs for HSCT caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermioni L Amonoo
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Michelle Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Nikita Acharya
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Emma C Deary
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren P Waldman
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lisa Gudenkauf
- Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
| | - Stephanie J Lee
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Hadine Joffe
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth L Addington
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Judith T Moskowitz
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jeff C Huffman
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Areej El-Jawahri
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Mass General Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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Bradley CJ, Kitchen S, Owsley KM. Working, Low Income, and Cancer Caregiving: Financial and Mental Health Impacts. J Clin Oncol 2023; 41:2939-2948. [PMID: 37043714 PMCID: PMC10414725 DOI: 10.1200/jco.22.02537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Approximately 6 million people provide caregiving to people diagnosed with cancer. Many must remain employed to support their household and to have access to health insurance. It is unknown if caregiving for a spouse diagnosed with cancer is associated with greater financial and mental stress relative to providing care for a spouse with different conditions. METHODS Health and Retirement Study (2002-2020) data were used to compare employed caregivers, younger than age 65 years, caring for a spouse diagnosed with cancer (n = 103) and a matched control group caring for a spouse with other conditions (n = 515). We used logistic regression to examine a decrease in household income, increase in household debt, stopping work, and a new report of a mental health condition over a 4-year period, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and health insurance status. Subanalyses stratified estimations by median household income. RESULTS Around a third of cancer caregivers reported they stopped working (35%) and had an increase in household debt (30%). Cancer caregivers in households below the median household income were more likely to report decreased income (13.4 percentage points [pp]; P < .10), increased household debt (14.5 pp; P < .10), and stopping work (18.8 pp; P < .05) than similar noncancer caregivers. Mixed results were found for a change in mental health domains. The results were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION Cancer caregivers from low-income households were more likely to increase debt and incur work loss compared with noncancer caregivers in similar households. Policies such as paid sick leave and family leave are needed for this strained and important population who have financial and employment responsibilities in addition to caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy J. Bradley
- Department of Health Systems, Management, and Policy, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO
| | - Sara Kitchen
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO
| | - Kelsey M. Owsley
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
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McAndrew NS, Erickson J, Hetland B, Guttormson J, Patel J, Wallace L, Visotcky A, Banerjee A, Applebaum AJ. A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study: Eliciting ICU Experiences and Measuring Outcomes of Family Caregivers of Patients Who Have Undergone Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. JOURNAL OF FAMILY NURSING 2023:10748407231166945. [PMID: 37191306 PMCID: PMC10330518 DOI: 10.1177/10748407231166945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The impact of an intensive care unit (ICU) admission on family caregivers of patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has not been well described. Aims of this study were to determine the feasibility of conducting research with family caregivers of HSCT patients during an ICU admission and generate preliminary data about their experiences and engagement in care. Using a mixed-methods, repeated measures design, we collected data from family caregivers after 48 hr in the ICU (T1) and at 48 hr after transferring out of ICU (T2). Enrolling HSCT caregivers in research while in the ICU was feasible (10/13 consented; 9/10 completed data collection at T1); however, data collection at T2 was not possible for most caregivers. Caregiver distress levels were high, and engagement in care was moderate. The three themes that emerged from interviews (n = 5) highlighted that although HSCT family caregivers faced many challenges and received limited support during their ICU experience, they were able to access their own personal resources and demonstrated resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie S McAndrew
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA
- Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
| | | | - Breanna Hetland
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA
- Nebraska Medicine, Omaha, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Allison J Applebaum
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Yu J, Khera N, Turnbull J, Stewart SK, Williams P, Bhatt V, Meyers O, Galvin J, Lee SJ. Impact of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) on Patients' Employment, Income, and Informal Caregiver Burden: Findings From the Living With Chronic GVHD Patient Survey. Transplant Cell Ther 2023:S2666-6367(23)01235-6. [PMID: 37037267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Development of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) results in impaired physical function and quality of life. However, limited data exist regarding the employment and financial impact on patients and caregivers. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to describe the impact of chronic GVHD on patient employment, disability leave, income, reliance on caregivers, and effects on caregiver employment. STUDY DESIGN The Living With Chronic GVHD Patient Survey was a cross-sectional online survey administered from May to August 2020 in the United States to adult HSCT survivors diagnosed with chronic GVHD within the past 5 years. Data on respondent demographics and disease characteristics and the effects of chronic GVHD on employment, income, and need for caregiver assistance were collected. Respondents were also asked to report on the impact of their chronic GVHD on their caregivers' employment. All data were summarized using descriptive statistics; no formal statistical comparisons were conducted. RESULTS A total of 165 respondents completed the survey (median age, 57.0 years; 63.6% women; 83.0% White); respondents had been experiencing chronic GVHD for a median (range) of 4.5 (0.1-36.7) years, with a median (range of 0.5 (0-3.6) years from most recent transplant to chronic GVHD diagnosis. Among those employed full- or part-time at the time of their most recent transplant (n=80), 61.3% reported taking disability leave, 58.8% worked reduced hours, 27.5% took a less demanding job, and 33.8% left a job because of chronic GVHD. Additionally, 71.3% believed they had lost income due to chronic GVHD. Among all respondents, 72.1% reported receiving regular caregiver assistance. Respondents commonly reported employment changes among unpaid caregivers (34.5% reduced their working hours; 16.6% terminated a job). CONCLUSIONS HSCT survivors who develop chronic GVHD are vulnerable to employment changes and financial hardship. This analysis highlights the need for effective therapies and improved symptom management to reduce the multifaceted burden of chronic GVHD on patients and their caregivers and ultimately improve long-term HSCT outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingbo Yu
- Incyte Corporation, Wilmington, DE, USA;.
| | - Nandita Khera
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | - Susan K Stewart
- Blood & Marrow Transplant Information Network, Highland Park, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Oren Meyers
- Patient Centered Solutions, IQVIA, Paris, France
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Zimbrean PC. Depression in transplantation. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2022; 27:535-545. [PMID: 36227755 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000001024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review and summarize the literature published between 1 January 2020 and 30 June 2022, on the prevalence, risk factors and impact of depression in transplant population. RECENT FINDINGS Depression is common in transplantation candidates and recipients, with a prevalence up to 85.8% in kidney recipients. Multiple studies have indicated after transplantation depression correlates with increased mortality and with higher healthcare utilization. Social risk factors for posttransplant depression include financial difficulties and unemployment, while less is understood about the biological substrate of depression in this population. There is evidence that dynamic psychotherapy is effective for depression in organ transplant recipients, while cognitive behavioral therapy or supportive therapy did not lead to improvement of depression in transplant recipients. For living organ donors, the rates of depression are similar to the general population, with financial factors and the clinical status of the recipient playing a significant role. SUMMARY Depression is a common finding in transplant population. More research is needed to understand the biological substrate and risk factors and to develop effective treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula C Zimbrean
- Departments of Psychiatry and Surgery (Transplantation), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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