Information/Supportive Care Needs/Maryland Cancer Caregivers

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite the increasing national investment in health care, substantial health disparities remain that affect morbidity and mortality indicators, accrual into clinical trials, risk behaviors, satisfaction with the health care system, and quality of life among populations within the United States (U.S.). Limited health care resources have resulted in shortened hospital stays, decreased availability of home based professional medical care, an increased reliance on outpatient medical management and an increased emphasis on home based recovery. Caregivers of cancer patients represent an important group of stakeholders that bridge the supportive care gap between health care providers and patients. Caregivers of cancer patients represent a group of diverse people whose needs differ potentially by race, income and access to health care resources. This pilot study, Information and Supportive Care Needs in Underserved Maryland Cancer Caregivers (ISNUMCC), is submitted from the Maryland Regional Community Network (Maryland CNP) and addresses an important and understudied issue - needs of underserved caregivers for cancer patients. This study will be one of the first to examine information and supportive care needs in medically underserved caregivers of patients with cancer. The goal of the proposed study is to assess underserved Maryland cancer caregivers' information and supportive care needs. The short term goals of this project include a) describing information and supportive care needs of African American and Caucasian urban and rural caregivers of patients with cancer, b) identifying barriers to caregiver support and c) identify current resources caregivers utilize to maintain wellness and improve their quality of life. Long term goals include using results from this pilot study to develop an intervention to decrease information and supportive care needs across sociodemographically diverse groups of underserved caregivers of cancer patients.