FOCUS: An Evidence-based Program to Improve the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients and their Family Caregivers

TECHNOLOGY NUMBER: 7713
Technology No. 7713

OVERVIEW

  • FOCUS is an intervention program delivered by a health professional (e.g., nurse, social worker, or psychologist) that provides education and support jointly to cancer patients and their family caregivers.
  • 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.
  • Freely available under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA.INNOVATION

INNOVATION

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.

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

OTHER

Available for free under the Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License.

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7713: FOCUS cancer support program (CC NC-SA 4.0)
This license includes digital files, available for download after the license agreement has been executed and approved (if necessary).

Term: perpetual

Free of charge

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