Creating a tool to identify social isolation risks in head and neck cancer survivors
Official title: The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the SIRS: A Social Isolation Risk Scale for Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer
Funded at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research · NIH-10729500 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is creating a quick and easy tool to help doctors spot head and neck cancer survivors who might feel socially isolated, so they can get the support they need.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhasset, United States) |
| Project start | August 24, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $156,616 |
| NIH project number | 1R03CA273478-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10729500 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are survivors of head and neck cancer who may be experiencing social isolation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not survivors of head and neck cancer or those who do not experience social isolation may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new screening tool called the Social Isolation Risk Scale (SIRS) specifically for survivors of head and neck cancer. The goal is to identify individuals who may be at risk for social isolation due to unique challenges they face, such as facial disfigurement. The research involves generating a list of potential risk factors through discussions with survivors and experts, followed by refining these items based on feedback from interviews with socially isolated survivors. This tool aims to be brief enough for use in busy clinical settings, making it easier to identify those in need of support.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help healthcare providers identify head and neck cancer survivors at risk for social isolation, allowing for timely interventions and support.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific tool being developed is novel, similar approaches to identifying social isolation in cancer survivors have shown promise in other studies.
Where this research is happening
-
Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
Manhasset, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marziliano, Allison — Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Marziliano, Allison
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How Social Isolation Impacts Aging in People with Schizophrenia
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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.