A Supportive Group Intervention for Caregivers to Patients Diagnosed With Glioblastoma: Protocol for the SUGRI Study

TL;DR

This study aims to develop and test a supportive group intervention for caregivers of glioblastoma patients to address their unmet needs and improve their support network.

Contribution

The study introduces a new supportive group intervention for caregivers of glioblastoma patients, designed through patient and public involvement.

Findings

A systematic review will explore outcomes of supportive group interventions for caregivers of brain tumor patients.

The intervention will be developed in collaboration with a national panel of caregivers.

Feasibility will be assessed in a multicenter study across three Danish hospitals.

Abstract

Caregivers to a person diagnosed with a glioblastoma often face significant responsibilities, balancing the demands of care with the complexities of the disease and treatment trajectory, while also coping with concerns and uncertainty of the future. Caregivers report unmet needs of information and support throughout the patient’s disease and treatment trajectory, and they may benefit from targeted supportive care interventions.

The aim of this study is to develop, test, and evaluate the feasibility of a supportive group intervention among caregivers to patients diagnosed with a glioblastoma.

The study consists of 3 phases with ongoing patient and public involvement (PPI). In the first phase, a systematic review will be carried out exploring the outcome of supportive group interventions for caregivers to patients diagnosed with a primary brain tumor. In the second phase, the design and development of the intervention will be conducted in cooperation with a panel of caregivers using PPI process. The third phase will include the feasibility and evaluation of the intervention. The study will be guided by the British Medical Research Council’s framework for developing complex interventions. The feasibility of the intervention will be tested in reference to relevant parameters. Quantitative data in terms of questionnaires will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative evaluation interviews will be analyzed using thematic analysis.

A national panel of caregivers (N=10) has been established, and the final design of the intervention is currently developed through an ongoing PPI process. A total of 3 hospitals in Denmark have committed to participating in the recruitment for the feasibility study. Recruitment began in April 2025, and the SUGRI (Supportive Group Intervention for caregivers to patients diagnosed with a glioblastoma) intervention will undergo a feasibility assessment in a multicenter study starting in August 2025, with the final evaluation planned for April 2026.

This study is expected to provide necessary insights to guide caregiver initiatives, ultimately improving support for caregivers within the neuro-oncology field. A supportive group intervention offered to the caregivers has the potential to address specific caregiver needs and strengthen their supportive network. Providing caregivers with support may enhance their perceived support, strengthen family functioning, and provide them with strategies to manage caregiving challenges, ultimately benefiting both caregivers and patients.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06869577; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06869577

PRR1-10.2196/81948

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