Project Details
Description
Although palliative care leads to improved quality of life in people with cancer, it is often initiated too
late or not at all. So far, studies focusing on timely initiation of palliative care are often doing so from
a health service and professional carer perspective. What is lacking are studies using a health
promotion approach and focusing on patients’ behavior. Theory-driven behavioral research and
interventions prove effective in health promotion and could help to more successfully change
behaviors of people with cancer, e.g. timely communication about palliative care which is now
frequently postponed or avoided, potentially enhancing their care outcomes. As part of my PhD FWO
fellowship, I conducted a mixed-methods research and developed a theory-based behavioral
intervention that supports people with advanced cancer in taking the initiative to start a conversation
about palliative care with their physician and supports physicians in reacting appropriately. This
postdoc proposal is a logical and needed continuation in which I will evaluate the effectiveness of the
intervention through a multicentric randomized controlled trial study and its implementation
processes and understand the mechanisms of action. This evaluation is important to optimize the
intervention and avoid unintended effects. If this intervention is effective and widely disseminated, it
will improve patient empowerment, patient-centred care and quality of life in people with cancer
late or not at all. So far, studies focusing on timely initiation of palliative care are often doing so from
a health service and professional carer perspective. What is lacking are studies using a health
promotion approach and focusing on patients’ behavior. Theory-driven behavioral research and
interventions prove effective in health promotion and could help to more successfully change
behaviors of people with cancer, e.g. timely communication about palliative care which is now
frequently postponed or avoided, potentially enhancing their care outcomes. As part of my PhD FWO
fellowship, I conducted a mixed-methods research and developed a theory-based behavioral
intervention that supports people with advanced cancer in taking the initiative to start a conversation
about palliative care with their physician and supports physicians in reacting appropriately. This
postdoc proposal is a logical and needed continuation in which I will evaluate the effectiveness of the
intervention through a multicentric randomized controlled trial study and its implementation
processes and understand the mechanisms of action. This evaluation is important to optimize the
intervention and avoid unintended effects. If this intervention is effective and widely disseminated, it
will improve patient empowerment, patient-centred care and quality of life in people with cancer
Acronym | FWOTM1227 |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Effective start/end date | 1/10/24 → 30/09/27 |
Keywords
- Theory-based behavioral intervention
- Palliative care communication behavior
- Randomized controlled trial
Flemish discipline codes in use since 2023
- Health promotion and policy
- Palliative care and end-of-life care