Improving Quality-of-Life Talks Between Young Cancer Patients and Their Doctors
Official title: Improving Health-Related Quality of Life Communication Between AYA Oncology Patients and Clinicians: A Patient-Centered Intervention
Funded at Connecticut Children's Medical Center · NIH-11381728 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-centered program helps adolescents and young adults with cancer have better, clearer conversations with their clinicians about how cancer and its treatment affect their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Connecticut Children's Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hartford, United States) |
| Project start | July 9, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $273,211 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA286736-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381728 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
AYAs (roughly ages 15–39) undergoing cancer treatment or entering survivorship who want improved HRQOL discussions with their clinicians.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not seeking enhanced HRQOL conversations or those not engaged in clinical care may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH K08 grant supports creating and testing an intervention that makes HRQOL discussions with AYA cancer patients more personalized and efficient. The project includes formal training for the researcher in behavioral intervention science and mixed methods analysis, guided by experienced mentors in pediatric oncology and HRQOL. The aim is to empower patients to express needs and preferences and to help clinicians have meaningful, timely conversations about quality of life during treatment and survivorship. The work combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop an intervention that could fit into routine clinical care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience more personalized HRQOL support and better-informed treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows HRQOL conversations are often insufficient; this project aims to translate that insight into a practical, patient-centered intervention.
Where this research is happening
-
Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Hartford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Frederick, Natasha Nichole — Connecticut Children's Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Frederick, Natasha Nichole
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.