Web program to help people with advanced cancer and their caregivers talk about future medical wishes
Official title: Facilitating Advance Care Planning Discussions Between Patients with Advanced Cancer and Their Family Caregivers Using a Resilience-Building Intervention
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11411651 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries a web-based resilience program to help adults with advanced cancer and their family caregivers talk about future care and complete advance directives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00NR020358-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411651 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with advanced cancer who have a family caregiver and can use an online program are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a willing caregiver, without reliable internet access, with severe cognitive impairment, or who do not meet the advanced-cancer criteria may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If I have advanced cancer, this study offers an online program my caregiver and I can use to build coping skills and prepare for conversations about future medical care. The program is based on interviews, positive psychology, and dyadic intervention design, and it delivers web modules that teach resilience and communication strategies. Researchers will recruit patients and their family caregivers, collect online surveys and interviews, and look at whether the program is practical to use and helps people complete advance care planning. The team will use the pilot data to refine the program and measure early signs of reduced distress and better caregiver coping.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could help patients and caregivers have clearer conversations about goals, complete advance directives, and reduce caregiver anxiety so care better matches patient wishes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior resilience-based interventions have shown promise in lowering distress for cancer patients and caregivers, but web-based dyadic approaches focused specifically on advance care planning are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Longcoy, Li-Ting Huang — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Longcoy, Li-Ting Huang
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping Advanced Cancer Patients and Families Plan Ahead with a Resilience-Building Web Program
A web-based resilience program is being tested to help people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers have meaningful conversations and complete advance directives.
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Helping advanced cancer patients and their families plan for future care
This study is testing a friendly online program to help people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers feel stronger and more confident in making important medical decisions together.
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Understanding and improving support for male dementia caregivers
This project focuses on what helps or hinders men who care for people with dementia, with new ideas to reach and support them better.
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Paths to resilience through social networks for older adults with advanced cancer
This grant looks at how the people and relationships around older adults with advanced cancer help shape their health choices and use of care near the end of life.
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Psycho-Spiritual Support for Patients with Advanced Cancer and Their Family Caregivers
A program tests a four-session, family-focused meditation delivered by video to help people with advanced cancer and their caregivers feel less depressive and spiritually distressed.
-
Caregivers and Patients Support for Advanced Cancer
A doctor-in-training is developing a telehealth five-session program to help patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers manage their psychosocial needs and quality of life.
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.