Overview
The Proactive Costs of Care intervention is an educational intervention designed to help patients deal with the cost of cancer care. The main goal of this trial is to evaluate whether the Proactive Costs of Care intervention can be successfully delivered to cancer patients who are starting a new treatment and their caregivers by looking at how many participants complete the intervention. The other questions the trial aims to answer are whether the intervention can:
- Improve confidence in solving problems related to costs of care
- Reduce distress related to finances
Participants will complete the Proactive Costs of Care intervention, which is an approximately 30-minute one-time session with a lay educator reviewing the Proactive Costs of Care Guide and Cost Tracker. The intervention can be completed in person, by video, and by phone. Participants will also complete two surveys- one to be completed before the intervention and one to be completed 3 months after the intervention.
Description
The Proactive Costs of Care (PCOC) study aims to assess whether the Proactive Costs of Care intervention can be successfully delivered to cancer patients or their caregivers and help them deal with the costs of cancer care. Patients who are over 18 years of age or older, diagnosed with gynecologic cancer (e.g. endometrial/uterine, cervical, ovarian, vulvar cancers), on active systemic therapy within 30 days of enrollment, receiving treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and can speak, read, and understand English are eligible to participate. Caregivers of patients who meet the eligibility criteria above are also eligible to participate.
The Proactive Costs of Care Guide and Cost Tracker were developed with the input of patients, caregivers, social workers, nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers to address financial burden due to the cost of cancer care. The Proactive Costs of Care Guide covers 3 main topics; health insurance, employment, and personal and community support. The Proactive Costs of Care Cost Tracker helps patients or their caregivers track their medical costs. All of the materials are available in a paper version or electronic version.
Participants will complete a baseline survey before the intervention and a follow-up survey 3 months after the intervention. The patient survey will collect demographic information and ask questions about confidence in solving problems, health insurance literacy, financial distress or well-being, and emotional well-being. The caregiver survey will collect demographic information, confidence in solving problems, health insurance literacy, financial distress or well-being, and caregiver strain.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria for Patient Participants:
- Individuals 18 years old or older are included.
- Individuals diagnosed with gynecologic cancer
- On active systemic therapy within 30 days of enrollment
- Receiving treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Can speak, read, and understand English
Inclusion Criteria for Caregiver Participants:
\- Caregivers to patients who satisfy the criteria above
Exclusion Criteria for Patient and Caregiver Participants:
- Any patients whose records are flagged "break the glass" or "research opt out."
- Cannot speak, read, or understand English
- Not willing to participate in the intervention or complete surveys