PI: Alexandra Evancho, PT, DPT

Dr. Evancho’s study addresses the issue of fatigue, anxiety, and depression as a common conditions in breast cancer and how it parallels with insomnia and sleep disturbance, exacerbating one another and decreasing quality of life (QOL). In a study of patients with cancer experiencing insomnia, 87% cited the stress surrounding their cancer diagnosis as a major reason for sleep difficulties. Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are the most commonly prescribed pharmacotherapy intervention for insomnia, however BZDs are associated with negative side effects including risks of misuse and addiction.

PI: Richard Taylor, PhD, DNP, CRNP, ANP-BC

Dr. Taylor's study will aim to examine the relationship between biopsychosocial factors and life-space mobility (LSM), LSM trajectory patterns, older colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors’ lived LSM experiences, and survivors’ LSM intervention design suggestions.

PI: Jacyln Wall, MD

Dr. Wall’s study objective is to investigate, for the first time, specialty palliative care referral timing, reasons and barriers in women with cervical cancer. Trends in referral patterns will be analyzed over a 5 year period and they will conduct semi-structured interviews with patients with newly diagnosed cervical cancer. To assess patient needs tailored to specialty palliative care and to identify critical intervention components with concurrent administration of a validated quality of life measure. They will look to determine the specialized palliative care needs of racial minority groups increasingly burdened with cervical cancer in the Southeast United States and to develop guidelines for a consistently implemented early specialty palliative care program.

The aim of this study is to determine relationships between stressors, stress moderators, and daily depression-related symptoms and to determine relationships between depression symptom trajectories, resilience, frailty, and QoL. The results of this study will identify modifiable targets to inform interventions that improve resilience and QoL among SGM cancer survivors and their intimate partners. The proposed work will serve as the first step towards a dynamic SGM mental health framework in cancer to improve the quality of palliative and EOL care for this underserved population.

Thematic area of research: Addressing Culture, Lived Experiences and Racism; Towards Health Equity

As a group, LGBT older adults are affected disproportionately by poverty and poor health due to a lifetime of stressors and discrimination, particularly for LGBTs persons of color. Lack of trust and legal protections may cause older LGBT adults to be less open about their sexuality, further hampering a focus on their unique health care needs.

The specific aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the cultural values and preferences for care and communication among African American and White GB men, aged 50 years or older, with a serious illness and/or their partners/caregivers.

Thematic area of research: Addressing Culture, Lived Experiences and Racism; Towards Health Equity

The purpose of this research is to fill a knowledge gap regarding whether the kidney transplant center is an appropriate space for conversations about palliative care and ACP for patients with advanced kidney disease.

Thematic area of research: Increasing Access to Palliative and Supportive Care

Using the gender minority stress and resilience theory as a conceptual framework and Community-Based Participatory Research as our approach, we aim to inform the development of a PC Conversation guide for TGD people aged 55+ with serious illness and their partners. We aim to identify 1) the cultural values and preferences for clinician communication and PC care, 2) the minority stress experiences faced in healthcare settings, and 3) racial differences in these values, preferences, and experiences.

Thematic area of research: Address Palliative Care Cultural Considerations and Disparities