Telephone social support and education for adaptation to prostate cancer: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility of an intervention of telephone social support and education to increase the physical, emotional, functional, and interpersonal adaptation of men to prostate cancer.


METHODS
Prospective, random assignment to experimental or control treatments.


METHODS
Urban New Jersey.


METHODS
17 men diagnosed with prostate cancer within four weeks of study entry. Mean age was 66 years (range = 51-78); 59% were Caucasian, 35% were African American, and 6% were American Indian.


METHODS
Subjects in the experimental group received telephone social support over a 12-month period in addition to education via mailed resource kits. The control group received education through mailed resource kits only. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-General Physical, Emotional, Functional, and Social/Family Well-Being subscales; Symptom Experience Scale-Prostate; and the Relationship Change Scale were administered initially and at the end of each of the three phases; the International Index of Erectile Function Scale was administered at the end of each of the three phases. Qualitative information was gathered throughout and at the conclusion of the study.


METHODS
Physiologic, emotional, functional, and social adaptation to prostate cancer.


RESULTS
Results were somewhat more favorable for the experimental group on all outcome measures; however, differences were not statistically significant. Structured interviews with 14 of 17 subjects revealed that telephone social support and education were effective in increasing adaptation to prostate cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the lack of a significant difference between the experimental and treatment groups in this small sample of men, analysis of trends and interview feedback indicated that telephone social support, in addition to education through a mailed resource kit, has the potential to be beneficial by increasing access to supportive services.


CONCLUSIONS
Telephone social support when supplementing patient education may assist men in adapting during the year following a prostate cancer diagnosis.
Scura
Kathleen Walsh
KW
Department of Nursing, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, USA. scurak@optonline.net
Budin
Wendy
W
Garfing
Ellen
E
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D019037:Urban Health Services