Adapting the FOCUS Program to Support Sexual and Gender Minority Cancer Patients and Their Caregivers

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects of an adapted behavioral program called FOCUS On Us designed for sexual and gender minority SGM cancer patients and their informal caregivers. This pilot trial involves 80 SGM cancer patients and at least 80 of their caregivers, aiming to explore how well the program works and is received within this community. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups the intervention group receives the FOCUS On Us program immediately, while the waitlist control group completes assessments but delays receiving the intervention until after follow-up. The FOCUS On Us program includes five sessions addressing family involvement, outlook and meaning, coping strategies, uncertainty reduction, and symptom management, using education, skill building, and problem-solving therapy tailored to patient and caregiver needs. During the study, participants complete baseline assessments, post-intervention surveys, and follow-up evaluations three months after the intervention ends or at comparable times for the control group. Researchers measure the programs feasibility and acceptability at three months after randomization. The total study duration extends to approximately six months, with the control group offered the intervention after this period. The study requires participants to complete surveys in English and live in the United States.

FOCUS ON US: Adapting the FOCUS Program for Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Cancer Patients and Caregivers