FOCUS: An Evidence-based Program to Improve the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients and their Family Caregivers
Technology Number: 7713
OVERVIEW
FOCUS is an intervention program delivered by a health professional (e.g., nurse, social worker, or psychologist).
- The program provides education and support jointly to cancer patients and their family caregivers.
- It contains everything needed to deliver the program including training program (e.g., videos, case studies, instructional guides), protocol manual, and educational materials for both patients and family caregivers.
BACKGROUND
FOCUS is a psycho-educational intervention program delivered jointly to cancer patients and their family caregivers by a health care professional (e.g., nurse, social worker, or psychologist). The program is based on Stress-Coping Theory (Lazarus) and Family Stress Theory (McCubbin). The program addresses five components that form the acronym FOCUS:
- F = Family involvement and communication
- O = Optimistic outlook
- C = Coping effectiveness
- U = Uncertainty reduction
- S = Symptom management
Specific interventions are outlined in a detailed FOCUS Intervention Protocol Manual.
INNOVATION
FOCUS is unique because a cancer patient and one of their family caregivers complete the program together as a dyad or pair. This program is delivered to cancer patients and their family caregivers in their homes, a clinic office, or a community agency by a health professional. See below for information about adaptations of FOCUS including small group and web-based formats.
Program download contains:
- Comprehensive training program for professionals who deliver
the FOCUS intervention (videos, reading materials, case
studies)
- Intervention protocol manual with fidelity checklist
- Educational materials for cancer patients and their family
caregivers
- Practical tips on intervention delivery from the lead research team
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Available for free under the Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License.
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swap_vertical_circlemode_editInventor (3)Laurel NorthouseLawrence AnBonnie Dockham
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swap_vertical_circlecloud_downloadSupporting documents (1)Product brochureFOCUS: An Evidence-based Program to Improve the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients and their Family Caregivers.pdfAdditional files may be available once you've completed the transaction for this product. If you've already done so, please log into your account and visit My account / Downloads section to view them.