A feasibility study of dignity psychotherapy delivered via telemedicine.
OBJECTIVE
Dignity Psychotherapy has shown great promise as a value-affirming intervention for patients with advanced disease. We delivered the Dignity Psychotherapy intervention in a feasibility study of a series of eight cancer patients via videophone technology to deliver the therapy into their homes.


METHODS
Once eligible patients were consented on this IRB-approved study, they completed baseline assessments and were scheduled to have the videophone placed in their homes. The Dignity Therapy sessions then encompassed a first session, which was transcribed and edited, followed by a second session to go over the edited transcript and allow the patient to make changes. Patients then filled out follow-up questionnaires and had the telemedicine equipment removed from their homes, and their legacy document delivered.


RESULTS
Participants had a mean age of 56.32 years (range = 41-66, SD = 7.65) and were diagnosed with lung (n = 5, 62.5%), breast (n = 2, 25%), or colon cancer (n = 1, 12.5%). They reported overall benefit from the intervention along with a high level of satisfaction. We were able to deliver the intervention in a timely fashion, with minimal length between sessions and transcript delivery and few technical difficulties.


CONCLUSIONS
Telemedicine can greatly extend the benefits of Dignity Psychotherapy by bringing it to patients who are dying at home. Our very preliminary work suggests that delivering the intervention to patients who are too ill to leave their homes or who are in rural locations may be a feasible way to help them.
Passik
Steven D
SD
Symptom Management and Palliative Care Program, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0093, USA. spassik@uky.edu
Kirsh
Kenneth L
KL
Leibee
Suzanne
S
Kaplan
Lisa S
LS
Love
Celia
C
Napier
Ellen
E
Burton
Deborah
D
Sprang
Robert
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome