Background Most programs addressing psychosocial concerns of cancer survivors are in-person programs that are expensive to deliver, have limited availability, and seldom deal with caregivers’ concerns. Objective This study examined the feasibility of translating an efficacious nurse-delivered program (FOCUS Program) for patients and their caregivers to a tailored, dyadic web-based format. Specific aims were to: (i) test the preliminary effects of the web-based intervention on patient and caregiver outcomes, (ii) examine participants’ program satisfaction, and (iii) determine the feasibility of using a web-based delivery format. Intervention/Methods A Phase II feasibility study was conducted with cancer patients (lung, breast, colorectal, prostate) and their family caregivers (N=38 dyads). The web-based intervention provided information and support tailored to the unique characteristics of each patient, caregiver, and their dyadic relationship. Primary outcomes were emotional distress and quality of life (QOL). Secondary outcomes were benefits of illness/caregiving, communication, support, and self-efficacy. Analyses included descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA. Results Dyads had a significant decrease in emotional distress, increase in QOL, and perceived more benefits of illness/caregiving. Caregivers also had significant improvement in self-efficacy. There were no changes in communication. Participants were satisfied with program usability, but recommended additional content. Conclusions It was possible to translate a clinician-delivered program to a web-based format that was easy to use and had positive effects on dyadic outcomes. Implications for Practice The web-based program is a promising way to provide psychosocial care to more patients and caregivers using fewer personnel. It needs further testing in a larger RCT.

Background The challenges of advanced cancer have health implications for patients and their family caregivers from diagnosis through end-of-life. The nature of the patient/caregiver experience suggests that their mental and physical health may be interdependent, but limited empirical evidence exists. Purpose This study used Social Cognitive Theory as a framework to investigate individual and interpersonal influences on patients’ and their family caregivers’ mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy as individuals to manage the challenges of advanced disease over time. Methods Patients and caregivers (484 patient-caregiver dyads) completed surveys at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. Longitudinal dyadic analysis techniques were used to examine (i) the influence that patients and caregivers had on their own mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy (actor effects) and (ii) the influence that they had on each other’s health outcomes (partner effects). We also examined the influence of self-efficacy on mental and physical health over time. Results Consistent with our hypotheses, each person’s mental health, physical health, and self-efficacy had significant effects on their own outcomes over time (actor effects). Patients and caregivers influenced one another’s mental and physical health (partner effects), but not their self-efficacy. In addition, patients and caregivers with higher self-efficacy had better mental health, and their partners had better physical health. Conclusions Patient and caregiver mental and physical health were interdependent. Each person’s cancer-related self-efficacy influenced their own mental and physical health. However, a person’s self-efficacy did not influence the other person’s self-efficacy.