title: Multimedia information intervention and its benefits in partners of the head and neck cancer patients.
abstract: We aimed to investigate the levels of anxiety, depression, satisfaction with information provision and cancer-related knowledge in partners of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving a Multimode Comprehensive Tailored Information Package (MCTIP). A non-randomised, controlled trial was conducted with partners of HNC patients recruited at two academic hospitals in Montreal. The Test participants received the MCTIP, while the Control participants received information in an ad hoc manner. All participants were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile and a cancer knowledge questionnaire at baseline, and 3 and 6 months later. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test and chi-square test, and mixed model analysis to test the impact of the intervention. A total of 31 partners of HNC patients participated in this study and completed all the evaluations. The partners in the Test group experienced significantly lower levels of anxiety (P = 0.001) and depression (P = 0.003) symptoms and were more satisfied (P = 0.002) with cancer information provided than partners in the Control group. Providing tailored information seems to have positive outcomes regarding anxiety, depression, and satisfaction in partners of HNC patients. Larger randomised studies are warranted to validate these effects.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University st, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blouin
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, McGill University Hospital Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeitouni
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University st, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University st, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019212:Multimedia; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: H&N cancer; carers; information; multimedia; partners; psychosocial