The following are past studies conducted by the Badr Lab:
Health, Well-Being, & Family Impacts of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
A study to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of individuals and families living in the United States.
CareSTEPS
This study evaluated a program that we have developed for the family caregivers of advanced lung cancer patients. The name of the program, CareSTEPS, is an acronym for six skills that are important for caregiver quality of life. CareSTEPS provided skills training in all six areas through a home-based program. The goal of this study was to see if caregiver participation in the CareSTEPS program has a beneficial effect on the quality of life of family caregivers as well as the loved ones they care for. Advanced lung cancer patients who were within one month of starting treatment and their family caregivers completed a baseline survey that asks about their health and experience with lung cancer. After patients and caregivers complete the survey, the caregiver was randomly assigned to either the CareSTEPS program (where he/she will receive an educational manual, CD, and six phone counseling sessions with a trained counselor), or to a usual medical care control group condition. Patients and caregivers in both groups also completed two follow-up surveys occurring two months and six months after baseline.
NextSTEPS
This study evaluated a program that we have developed for advanced cancer patients and their family caregivers. The name of the program, NexTSTEPS, is an acronym for six skills that are important for successful symptom management and adjustment to cancer. They represent the next steps to take, so to speak, following the diagnosis of advanced cancer. NexTSTEPS provides kills training in six areas through a home-based program. Advanced cancer patients who were within one month of starting treatment and their partners completed a baseline survey and then were randomly assigned to either the NexTSTEPS program (where patients and their caregivers will each receive educational manuals, a CD, and six phone counseling sessions), or to a usual medical care condition. Patients and partners will also completed three follow-up surveys occurring two, four and six months after baseline.
ICare: Improving Care for Cancer Survivors
This study included the following:
- Understanding the needs and preferences of cancer survivors and their informal caregivers regarding the delivery of survivorship care at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
- Evaluating existing survivorship care planning efforts at the Duncan Cancer Center.
- Understanding healthcare provider, administrator needs and preferences regarding the delivery of survivorship care and to identify barriers, facilitators and available resources to support survivorship care at the Duncan Cancer Center.
Findings shed light on ways to improve survivorship care for our patients by developing feasible objectives, identifying practical strategies for achieving those objectives, and establishing metrics to evaluate and demonstrate progress to enhance sustainability. This project was funded by the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (P30) Pilot Funds.
SURVivE: Survivorship Care for Underserved Women with Endometrial Cancer
This study included the following:
- Conducting semi-structured interviews with endometrial cancer survivors to identify facilitators and challenges to surveillance and follow-up care that could inform the content and delivery of appropriate and useful survivorship care plans
- Using this information to develop a Survivorship Care Plan for racial/ethnic minority and underserved endometrial cancer survivors
- Using focus groups to obtain survivor and healthcare provider feedback on the relevance and appropriateness of the survivorship care plan that we have developed relative to existing survivorship care plans
This project was supported by Duncan Scholar Funds.
SUPREME: SUpportive Care Needs and PREferences of MEtastatic Breast Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers
In this study we conducted qualitative interviews to explore the supportive care needs and preferences of metastatic breast cancer patients and their informal (family) caregivers. We also explored differences between the support needs/preferences of minority and underserved women and non-underserved women with metastatic breast cancer. Findings will be used to create a program to empower metastatic breast cancer patients and their caregivers by providing them with information, skills training, and support.
This study is supported by Baylor seed funds.
Improving Self-Management Adherence During Head and Neck Radiotherapy
This study focused on understanding patient and caregiver information, skills training, and support needs with regard to self-care, symptom management and coordination of care over the course of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. It also sought to understand patient, caregiver and provider preferences regarding intervention format, content and delivery.
FINTOX: Improving Coordination and Delivery of Financial Navigation to Cancer Patients and Survivors
As cancer care costs continue to skyrocket, financial hardship caused by cancer and its treatment is becoming a common experience. Many patients and their families are forced to make difficult trade-offs, including delaying or forgoing recommended care due to financial constraints. Financial hardship due to medical costs is also a major source of stress for patients that can diminish their overall quality of life. Many cancer centers offer a range of services to navigate the costs of care including help applying to pharmaceutic company-sponsored patient assistance programs, financial assistance to manage non-medical costs, help applying for health insurance coverage and help understanding medical bills. However, many patients do not know these programs exist, don’t know how to apply, or are reluctant to ask for help.
The purpose of this study is to develop a brief screening measure to identify cancer patients who are experiencing financial hardship so we can connect them to appropriate financial services and resources.
