Internet Support and Information for Women with Breast Cancer

Traditional methods of providing psychosocial interventions for cancer patients are associated with positive patient outcomes but have limited overall impact attributable to low participation rates. The purpose of this project is to implement and evaluate the efficacy of a computer-based psychosocial intervention for women with breast cancer. At the end of the first year of funding, we have successfully pilot-tested and implemented the SURVIVE intervention, and results from the first year are summarized in this annual report. Briefly, SURVIVE has received media attention at the local, state, and national level, yielding a number of referrals to the protocol. Additionally, 38 women have been screened in the UAB breast cancer clinics, and of these 38 women, 19 (50%) have agreed to participate. Recruitment efforts have targeted three weekly cancer clinics at UAB, and efforts to expand recruitment to two additional Birmingham-area hospitals (Medical Center East and Brookwood Hospital) are underway. 10 women with clinical stage I or II disease have been randomized into the protocol, and an additional 4 women with advanced stage disease are currently participating in the intervention. An additional 10 women will be randomized into the protocol by June 23, 2001. No data analysis has yet been undertaken.