Facilitating Research Participation And Improving Quality Of Life For African American Prostate Cancer Survivors And Their Intimate Partners

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Men's health
Article Date: 16 Apr 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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UroToday.com- African American (AA) men are more frequently diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP) than Caucasian men. However, a gap exists between the informational and emotional needs of CaP survivors and the psychosocial interventions available to them. The demands of CaP patients also impact spouses with regard to outcomes, treatment related side effects and the need for emotional support. AA men are underrepresented in the cancer survivorship literature and have lower participation rates in clinical trials. Dr. Campbell and colleagues have reported their study on improving quality of life for AA men and their intimate partners in the online version of Cancer.

The study evaluated coping skill training (CST), a comprehensive intervention that addresses survivorship issues such as physical, emotional and social functioning. CST involves teaching cognitive and behavioral techniques that increase self-efficacy for symptom management to reduce symptom severity and emotional distress. Studies have indicated that patients who have undergone CST report improved QoL.

A total of 45 AA men who were treated for CaP and their intimate partners participated in the study. Assessments included the Self-Efficacy for Symptom Control Inventory (SESCI), and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) for QoL, among others. Intimate partner factors were also assessed. CST intervention focused on 3 goals: providing information about CaP and long-term side effects, teaching problem solving skills and training in specific cognitive and behavioral coping skills. CST was done by 6 1-hour telephone sessions conducted by AA, doctoral level medical psychologists.

The patients and partners were randomized to partner-assisted CST or usual care. Eighty-three percent of couples were married and time since treatment ranged from 1 week to 4 years. SCT intervention was described as beneficial in 13 of 15 couples (87%). Most beneficial were communication skills training (60%), but one-third expressed a preference for some degree of face-to-face contact. Men who underwent CST reported significantly higher QoL in relation to bowel bother. No significant differences were found between groups on physical functioning and mental health subscales. Moderate effects were observed for partners who received CST, reporting less depression and fatigue and more vigor than partners in the usual care condition.

This type of research effort is important to increase cultural competency in health disparities research and patient outcomes.

Lisa C. Campbell, Francis J. Keefe, Cindy Scipio, Daphne C. McKee, Christopher L. Edwards, Steven H. Herman, Lawrence E. Johnson, O. Michael Colvin, Colleen M. McBride, Craig Donatucci

Cancer2007;109(S2): 414-424
Reviewed by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Christopher P. Evans, MD

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