Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39968193›Full record

ArticlePalliative care and social practice2025

Developing and implementing a nurse-delivered and a web-based dyadic psychoeducational program for people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers: sharing experiences from a three-arm international randomized controlled trial (DIAdIC).

Aline De Vleminck, Vincent Van Goethem, Sigrid Dierickx, Orphé Matthys, Kim Beernaert, Mogens Gronvold, Philip Larkin, Monica Guberti, Erica Witkamp, Joanne Reid and 6 more

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative care and social practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Aline De VleminckEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels 1090, Belgium.
Vincent Van GoethemEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1937-6724
Sigrid DierickxEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
Orphé MatthysEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
Kim BeernaertEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
Mogens GronvoldDepartment of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Philip LarkinUniversity College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Monica GubertiResearch and EPB Unit, Health Professions Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4393-1027
Erica WitkampErasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Joanne ReidThe School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5820-862X
Katherine BristoweCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1809-217X
Luc DeliensEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8158-2422
Lore LapeireEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5028-6305
DIAdIC Team
Peter HudsonEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
Joachim CohenEnd-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Each year millions are diagnosed with cancer, impacting both patients and caregivers. Few interventions target both patients and family caregivers together, despite their shared experiences. While dyadic psychoeducational programs are gaining attention, evidence on developing and implementing these in international trials is limited. The DIAdIC trial faced unique challenges requiring innovative solutions to maintain study integrity. Objectives: To present our experiences with the development and implementation of two dyadic psychoeducational home-based programs, FOCUS+ and iFOCUS in the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in six European countries. Design: A case report detailing our experiences in the development and implementation of two dyadic psychoeducational home-based programs (one face-to-face and one web-based) across multiple countries, highlighting the challenges and mitigating strategies in an international context. Methods: A chronological narrative describing experiences with the development and implementation of iFOCUS and FOCUS+. Results: The FOCUS+ and iFOCUS programs were successfully developed for the European context through rigorous translation and adaptation processes. Despite recruitment challenges including COVID-19 restrictions and administrative hurdles, 431 patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled across 6 European countries. Quantitative and qualitative data assessed the outcomes of FOCUS+ and iFOCUS interventions, including the primary endpoints of emotional functioning and self-efficacy. Fidelity was evaluated using audio recordings, checklists, and user data. Challenges in trial management were addressed with flexible timelines and technical support. Conclusion: The international DIAdIC trial developed and implemented two psychoeducational dyadic programs for patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. Based on our experiences we share several insights for future similar studies. These relate to the attention needed for context-specific adaptations when using existing interventions or programs, the translation of human-facilitated programs to standalone eHealth versions, the challenges of adopting a dyadic focus in the study, the pragmatic challenges of conducting an RCT and evaluating implementation and effects, and the technology used for study management.

Indexed as

advanced cancercase studyDIAdICdyadiceHealthfamily caregiversprogram developmentprogram implementationpsychoeducational interventionsrandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID39968193
PMCPMC11833810

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.