How social connections shape care choices for older adults with advanced cancer
Pathways to Resilience of Social Networks of Older Adults with Advanced Cancer
This project looks at how the people in an older adult's life and the quality of those relationships affect having serious illness conversations, completing advance care plans, and using palliative care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193926 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked about the people who support you—who they are, how close you feel, and what kinds of help they provide—so researchers can map your social network. The team will link those network features (size, who is in your inner circle, types of support, and relationship quality) to whether you have conversations about end-of-life wishes, complete advance care planning, or engage with palliative care. They will collect information through interviews, questionnaires, and medical record data over time to see which social patterns help or hinder these actions. The goal is to learn practical ways families and care teams can support better end-of-life decision making and quality of life.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people aged 65 or older with advanced cancer and an estimated survival under 12 months who can answer questions about their social relationships and health care choices.
Not a fit: People younger than 65, those without advanced cancer, or those unable to participate in interviews (for example due to severe cognitive impairment) are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help patients get more timely family support, clearer conversations about wishes, and earlier access to palliative care that matches their goals.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show social support and family conversations can improve advance care planning and palliative care use, but applying detailed social network mapping to older adults with advanced cancer is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mohile, Supriya G. — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Mohile, Supriya G.
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 below.