Creating a tool to help older cancer patients access palliative care.

Development and Initial Validation of a Palliative Care Readiness Tool for Older Adults with Cancer.

NIH-funded research University of North Carolina Charlotte · NIH-10795491

This study is creating a helpful tool for older adults with cancer to see how ready they are to use palliative care services, which can really enhance their quality of life, and it aims to make sure this tool works well for them.

Quick facts

Grant typeR15 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of North Carolina Charlotte NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Charlotte, United States)
Project IDNIH-10795491 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing a tool called the Palliative Care Readiness tool (PALCARE) specifically for older adults with cancer. The goal is to measure how ready these patients are to engage with palliative care services, which can significantly improve their quality of life. By understanding their readiness, the research aims to increase awareness and utilization of palliative care among this demographic, addressing barriers such as misconceptions and lack of knowledge. The study will validate the tool's effectiveness through various assessments to ensure it meets the needs of older cancer patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are older adults diagnosed with cancer who may benefit from palliative care services.

Not a fit: Patients who are younger than 21 or those without a cancer diagnosis may not receive any benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved access to palliative care for older adults with cancer, enhancing their quality of life and symptom management.

How similar studies have performed: While there is limited research specifically on tools for measuring palliative care readiness in older adults with cancer, similar approaches in other populations have shown promise in improving care access.

Where this research is happening

Charlotte, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.