Feasibility of Internet Based Support (Carer eSupport) for Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Feasibility of Internet Based Support (Carer eSupport) for Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Carer eSupport: Rationale and Design of an Internet-based Support for Informal Caregivers of Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer

The Swedish Research Council, Swedish Cancer Society, Uppsala University Hospital, Region Västerbotten, Region Örebro County

Informal caregivers to patients with head and neck cancer report that they are unprepared for caregiving, that they experience a high caregiver burden and a deteriorated health. The aim is to develop an internet based intervention for informal caregivers of individuals with head and neck cancer and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. The internet based intervention (Carer eSupport) will be based on scientific evidence, established theoretical frameworks and focus groups with caregivers and health care professionals. The feasibility and acceptability of Carer eSupport will be evaluated by 30 caregivers who will have access to Carer eSupport during one months. The feasibility and acceptability of Carer eSupport will be evaluated with quantitative and qualitative data.

Internet based support for informal caregivers to individuals who are undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer.

Carer eSupport is designed to prepare informal caregivers for caregiving, to decrease caregiver burden and prevent a deteriorated health.

Qualitative data from semi-structured individual interviews exploring perceived feasibility of Carer eSupport.

Qualitative data from semi-structured individual interviews exploring perceived acceptability of Carer eSupport.

A brief 8-item self-report measure assessing preparedness for caregiving, a potential primary outcome in a future randomized controlled trial.

A 22-item self-report measure assessing caregiver burden, a potential primary outcome in a future randomized controlled trial.

A 36-item self-report measure assessing self-perceived health, a potential secondary outcome in a future randomized controlled trial.

A 21-item self-report measure assessing depression, anxiety, and stress, a potential secondary outcome in a future randomized controlled trial.

A 20-item self-report measure assessing five dimensions of fatigue, a potential secondary outcome in a future randomized controlled trial.

Inclusion Criteria: Informal caregivers (defined by the patients) to patients with head and neck cancer who are about to start treatment, undergoing treatment or have completed treatment within the past month. Exclusion Criteria: Confusion or dementia, inability to understand, speak or read Swedish.

There is no plan to make individual participant data (IPD) available to other researchers, since this is a feasibility study.

Langegard U, Cajander A, Carlsson M, von Essen L, Ahmad A, Laurell G, Tiblom Ehrsson Y, Johansson B. Internet-based support for informal caregivers to individuals with head and neck cancer (Carer eSupport): a study protocol for the development and feasibility testing of a complex online intervention. BMJ Open. 2022 May 27;12(5):e057442. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057442.