Preparing Family Caregivers to Make Medical Decisions for Their Loved Ones
Last updated on July 2021Recruitment
- Recruitment Status
- Active, not recruiting
- Estimated Enrollment
- 600
Summary
- Conditions
- Heart Failure
- Kidney Diseases
- Lung Diseases
- Neoplasms
- Type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Design
- Allocation: RandomizedIntervention Model: Factorial AssignmentMasking: Single (Participant)Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Participation Requirements
- Age
- Between 18 years and 125 years
- Gender
- Both males and females
Description
The long-term goal is to help family caregivers of seriously ill patients be better prepared to serve as surrogate decision-makers when their loved ones can no longer make medical decisions for themselves. Research shows that family caregivers find surrogate decision-making highly stressful and emot...
The long-term goal is to help family caregivers of seriously ill patients be better prepared to serve as surrogate decision-makers when their loved ones can no longer make medical decisions for themselves. Research shows that family caregivers find surrogate decision-making highly stressful and emotionally burdensome, in part because they feel unprepared for surrogate decision-making. To date, no studies have determined which advance care planning (ACP) process best prepares caregivers for this role. The investigators' prior work shows that a computer-based decision aid can help patients make more informed decisions and communicate their wishes more effectively. The investigators now propose to determine if family caregivers of patients with life-threatening illnesses are better prepared for surrogate decision-making: 1) when they engage in a structured ACP process together with patients; and 2) when they use this online decision aid for ACP. This will be accomplished via a randomized, controlled trial with a 2 x 2 factorial design comprising 4 groups: Standard ACP/Patient Alone (Group 1), Decision Aid/Patient Alone (Group 2), Standard ACP/Patients and Caregivers Together (Group 3), and Decision Aid/Patients and Caregivers Together (Group 4).
Tracking Information
- NCT #
- NCT02429479
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Benjamin H Levi, MD PhD Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine Principal Investigator: Michael J Green, MD MS Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center / Penn State College of Medicine