title: Validating the positive impact of in-hospital lay care-partner support on patient survival in allogeneic BMT: a prospective study.
abstract: This prospective study validates the finding from retrospective research that having an inpatient lay care-partner (CP) is associated with better survival following allogeneic BMT. Compared with patients without a CP (n=76), patients with a CP (n=88) have significantly better OS (P=0.017) and relapse-free survival (RFS) (P=0.020). Four-year and median survivals were 42% and 36 months among patients with CPs, compared with 26% and 10 months among those without CPs. Four-year survival and median RFS were 39% and 25 months among those with CPs, compared with 23% and 7 months among those without CPs. Further, better survival and RFS were associated with CP visit duration of >3 h per day (P=0.005 and P=0.007, respectively) and with CP frequency of visits >75% of inpatient days (P=0.004 and P=0.010, respectively). A CP support program should encourage not only presence of a CP but also duration and frequency of CP visits associated with better patient survival.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115-2214, USA. l.w.foster@csuohio.edu
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rybicki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dabney
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Copelan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bolwell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult