Clinical trial · Interventional
Internet-based Support for Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer - Carer eSupport
The Effects of Internet-based Support (Carer eSupport) on Preparedness for Caregiving in Informal Caregivers of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Compared to Standard Care Support - a Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 12, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260912-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of internet-based support (Carer eSupport) on preparedness for caregiving in informal caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * What are the effects of internet-based support on informal caregivers preparedness for caregiving? * What are the effects of internet-based support on informal caregivers burden and wellbeing? Informal caregivers who are randomized to Carer eSupport will have access to Carer eSupport for 18 weeks and they will be asked to complete questionnaires (outcome measures) at: * baseline (before randomization) * 18 weeks (post-intervention) and at * 3 months after the intervention is completed (long term follow-up). Informal caregivers in the intervention group will be compared to informal caregivers who receive standard care support regarding preparedness for caregiving, caregiver burden and wellbeing.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head and Neck Cancer | Malignant Head and Neck Neoplasm | ALIAS | 0.90 |
Interventions
Interventions (1)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carer eSupport | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Internet-based support (Carer eSupport)
- description
- The internet-based support is developed in collaboration with clinical expertise within head and neck cancer care and an expert group of informal caregivers to patients with head and neck cancer. The support comprise text, lectures, films, discussion forum and real-time video meetings with clinical experts. The support will last for 18 weeks.
- interventionNames
- Other: Carer eSupport
- type
- NO_INTERVENTION
- label
- Support as usual
- description
- Support as usual comprise a possibility for informal caregivers to contact a specified nurse with expertise in head and neck , at the head and neck or oncology clinic, to ask for support. Healthcare counsellors at the clinics is also available for ICs on request. Group support providing emotional and social support for ICs to patients with various cancer diagnoses may also be arranged at the clinics occasionally. Also, the Swedish healthcare is always responsible for recognizing the need for support for children (\< 18 years) of patients with cancer.
Primary outcomes (1)
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Informal caregivers who have been identified as an informal caregiver by a patient who have consented to that the informal caregivers is approached. * Informal caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer who are about to start radiotherapy or have undergone at most five radiotherapy treatment session. Radiotherapy may be combined with surgery and/or medical oncological treatment. Exclusion Criteria: * Informal caregivers who do not understand and read Swedish or suffer from cognitive impairment, and informal caregivers with who need support or treatment that cannot be provided by Carer eSupport.
References
Publications (1)
- DERIVEDJohansson B, Cajander A, Ahmad A, Ohlsson-Nevo E, Fransson P, Granstrom B, von Essen L, Langegard U, Pettersson M, Henriksson A, Ehrsson YT. The effect of internet-administered support (carer eSupport) on preparedness for caregiving in informal caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer compared with support as usual: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2024 Apr 18;24(1):494. doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12273-y. PMID 38637744