Helping patients with chronic lung disease and their caregivers manage emotional challenges
Official title: Leveraging the dyad: mechanisms of an intervention for psychological distress in chronic lung disease
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11122361 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps patients with chronic lung disease and their caregivers learn coping skills to manage feelings of depression and anxiety.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $777,991 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NR020819-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11122361 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who experience psychological distress, along with their family caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without chronic lung disease, those not experiencing psychological distress, or those without an involved caregiver may not directly benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
Many people with chronic lung conditions like COPD experience significant emotional distress, and their caregivers often feel this burden too. This project offers a program called Coping Skills Training, delivered remotely over 12 weekly sessions, to help both patients and their caregivers. Together, they will learn practical strategies specifically designed to manage stress and illness related to COPD. The goal is to understand how these shared coping skills can improve well-being for both the patient and their family caregiver.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could significantly reduce feelings of depression and anxiety for patients with chronic lung disease and their caregivers, improving their overall quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While the importance of addressing psychological distress in COPD is recognized, this project aims to fill a critical gap in understanding how best to leverage patient-caregiver relationships for palliative care interventions.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hart, Joanna Lee — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Hart, Joanna Lee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Phone app to spot and support emotional distress in family caregivers
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A caregiver-inclusive online compassion-meditation program is being tested to help breast cancer survivors feel less anxiety and depression.
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Coping skills program to help COPD patients and caregivers feel better together
A COPD-focused program tests whether teaching coping skills to patients and their caregivers reduces stress, anxiety, and distress over 12 weekly remote sessions.
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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.