Current Studies

Financial Wellbeing Measures of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias 

This study is focused on the development and validation of survey instruments to assess financial hardship among individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD), as well as their caregivers. Through qualitative interviews and structured surveys, the study aims to capture the financial challenges faced by these families and ensure that resulting measures are both reliable and sensitive to their unique circumstances.

Factors Contributing to Financial Hardship in Cancer Care

This study aims to explore the different aspects of financial hardship experienced by individuals with cancer and identify the factors that contribute to these challenges. Eligible participants will be invited to complete surveys about their financial experiences during or after cancer treatment. 

Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Care

This study will test adaptable survey tools for identifying and prioritizing barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based practice in clinical care across the cancer continuum.  The surveys ask eligible healthcare personnel to describe an evidence-based practice or intervention they are implementing and answer questions about the practice or innovation (current or planned; type of practice on the cancer care continuum; barriers to implementation, implementation state and intention). 

Worry about Affording Healthcare in Breast Cancer

This study will examine the experience of financial burden and hardship in people with breast cancer. Participation involves completing a one-time, 60-minute interview. Interviews will cover causes of financial hardship, how patients cope with financial hardship and the emotional experiences of worry and depression that come from financial burden after cancer.

Past Studies

Development of Precision Patient-reported Outcomes for the Assessment of Pain

Many people living with cancer experience symptoms – including pain – which can last for years after cancer treatment.  The best, and often only, way to assess post-treatment symptoms in survivors is by using patient-reported outcomes (PROs). PROs are questionnaire-based measures that ask patients directly about their symptoms and feelings. In this study we aim to develop PROs that are tailored to, and hence potentially meaningful for, individual patients.

The Relationship of Distress and Health

This study tested several unique methods of determining response on the numerical rating scale (the 0 to 10 pain and distress scales) based on what is personally meaningful to each individual. This project also developed new measures of financial worry about affording healthcare. A second part of this project examined healthcare provider attitudes towards patient-reported outcomes in clinical care. The study is currently in the data analysis phase.

Cancer Screening Barriers in Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer

This project surveyed young women (ages 30 to 50) at high risk of developing breast cancer to determine financial, informational and psychosocial barriers to cancer screening. This study is currently in the data analysis phase.

Funders