Empathic Communication Skills Training for Cancer Care Providers to Help Stop Lung Cancer Stigma Experienced by Patients
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to find out if a new training program for cancer care providers called Empathic Communication Training (ECT) will be effective in helping care providers develop or increase the skills needed to provide care that limits lung cancer stigma.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Oncology Care Providers/OCP-intervention group Providers participate in Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) training |
Behavioral: Empathetic Communication Skills (ECS) training
The overall training goal of this 2-hour ECS module is to enhance OCP recognition and responsiveness to lung cancer patients' empathic opportunities by communicating understanding, alleviating stigma and distress, and providing support. The ECS training also provides tools to OCPs to buffer/inoculate patients against stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors by others such that lung cancer patients who currently or formerly smoked can be given "small doses" of an opposing viewpoint (termed as "preparing patients for recurring smoking questions") and suggestions of "counterarguments" in order to make them resistant to future stigmatizing attacks by others
|
| Oncology Care Providers/OCP-control group Providers have no communication skills training |
|
| Participants with Lung Cancer-intervention group Participants will engage with oncology care providers/OCP who have undergone Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) training |
Behavioral: Empathetic Communication Skills (ECS) training
The overall training goal of this 2-hour ECS module is to enhance OCP recognition and responsiveness to lung cancer patients' empathic opportunities by communicating understanding, alleviating stigma and distress, and providing support. The ECS training also provides tools to OCPs to buffer/inoculate patients against stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors by others such that lung cancer patients who currently or formerly smoked can be given "small doses" of an opposing viewpoint (termed as "preparing patients for recurring smoking questions") and suggestions of "counterarguments" in order to make them resistant to future stigmatizing attacks by others
|
| Participants with Lung Cancer-control group Waitlist control group - WLC |
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Uptake of communication skills using standardized patient assessment/SPAs [3 months]
A SPA involves a 12-minute video recorded interaction between the Oncology Care Provider/OCP and the Standardized Patient/SP on a given clinical scenario, using standardized scripts by the SP. Each OCP will participate in one SPA prior to their ECS training and one SPA following training or the timed control period. In contrast to clinical consultation recordings with varied clinical situations that do not necessitate the use of all strategies and skills, the semi-structured nature of SPAs permits appraisal of all desired elements of training.
- Uptake of empathy skills using standardized patient assessment/SPAs [3 months]
A SPA involves a 12-minute video recorded interaction between the Oncology Care Provider/OCP and the Standardized Patient/SP on a given clinical scenario, using standardized scripts by the SP. Each OCP will participate in one SPA prior to their ECS training and one SPA following training or the timed control period. In contrast to clinical consultation recordings with varied clinical situations that do not necessitate the use of all strategies and skills, the semi-structured nature of SPAs permits appraisal of all desired elements of training.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Site Eligibility
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Employs at least 15 FTE OCPs (i.e., oncologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants) as per self report
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Reports a clinic volume of at least 20 new lung cancer patients per month as per self report
OCP Participant Eligibility
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OCPs who are thoracic oncology physicians (radiologists, medical oncologists, pulmonologists, and surgeons), NPs, or PAs and currently treating lung cancer patients, as per self-report;
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OCP conducts clinic consultations with lung cancer patients, as per self-report;
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OCP sees at least 1 lung cancer patient per week, as per self-report;
Patient Eligibility
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Patient under the care of a participating OCP as per self report;
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English and/or Spanish speaking;
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In general, which language do you prefer to receive your medical care, English/Spanish/both English and Spanish Equally?
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If English, treat as fluent in English, no additional language questions
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If Spanish, treat as fluent in Spanish, no additional language questions
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If both English and Spanish equally, ask the follow-up questions and go with whichever language is endorsed as best. If endorsed equally, assign to category patient prefers
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How well do you speak English? Not at all/ Not well/Well/Very well
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How well do you speak Spanish? Not at all/Not well/Well/Very well
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Is at least 18 years of age as per self report;
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Has a suspicious lung mass or confirmed lung cancer diagnosis, as per clinician judgment or medical record note;
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Is a former or current smoker as per self report;
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Has had no more than 5 prior visits with the participating OCP, as per the medical record and/or self report
Exclusion Criteria:
Patient Exclusion
- Individuals of impaired decision-making capacity as per a clinician's judgment or as documented in the EMR.
Site and OCP Exclusion
- None
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | New York | New York | United States | 10065 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- American Cancer Society, Inc.
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
- University of Arizona
- University of Colorado, Denver
- University of Florida
- University of Arkansas
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Smita Banerjee, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Additional Information:
Publications
None provided.- 21-339