A couple-based unmet supportive care needs intervention for colorectal cancer couples: A preliminary feasibility study

Purpose

To support colorectal cancer couples cope with cancer, we developed a couple-based unmet supportive care needs intervention program guided by the Supportive Care Needs Framework and examined the feasibility, acceptability, and initial effects of the unmet supportive care needs program.

Methods

The design of a pre-and post-intervention study was conducted among Chinese colorectal cancer couples. The intervention was delivered in five sessions through in-person and telephone interventions combined. To measure program feasibility through recruitment and retention rates, and to test program acceptability through quantitative and qualitative post-intervention program assessments. The complete data (N = 20 pairs) were used to calculate effect sizes to assess the initial intervention effect.

Results

There was evidence of the feasibility of the intervention program in terms of recruitment (66.7%) and retention (83.3%) rates. Participants' satisfaction with the program also attested to its acceptability. The intervention (Cohen's = 0.15–0.56) had a small-moderate effect size in improving unmet supportive care needs and most cancer-adapted outcomes for colorectal cancer couples, validating the initial effect of the program.

Conclusions

The unmet supportive care needs program is feasible, acceptable, and preliminarily effective in supporting Chinese colorectal cancer couples to improve unmet supportive care needs and cancer adaptability, as provided by this study.