Community-led program to improve quality of life for Spanish-speaking families caring for a child with cancer
Official title: Evaluation of a community co-developed intervention focused on quality of life in Spanish-speaking families impacted by childhood cancer
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11450084 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A family-centered, culturally responsive program aims to support Spanish-speaking caregivers of children with cancer and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $801,029 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NR022176-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450084 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Spanish-speaking families with a child aged 0-11 diagnosed with cancer, experiencing caregiver stress and involved in ongoing treatment or post-treatment care.
✕Less likely to help
Families without significant caregiver distress or those not engaged in the Spanish-speaking community may experience smaller or delayed benefits.
What this research studies
This project partners with Spanish-speaking communities to develop a caregiver support intervention tailored to families navigating pediatric cancer care. It focuses on reducing stress, improving home care at low-income settings, and addressing disparities seen in Latino families. The study will engage caregivers to co-create and test the intervention within real-world clinical settings at UC Irvine. Outcomes will include caregiver well-being, caregiver capacity to manage care at home, and potential downstream effects on children’s functioning. The work emphasizes health equity and collaboration with communities historically underserved by research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lessen caregiver stress and improve the overall well-being of families coping with pediatric cancer, potentially improving child outcomes as a result.
How similar studies have gone: Previous caregiver-support interventions in pediatric oncology have shown modest improvements in caregiver well-being, with greater impact when culturally tailored and community-engaged.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fortier, Michelle — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Fortier, Michelle
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.