Taking Care of Her Program in Patients With Stage III or IV Ovarian Cancer and Spouse Caregivers

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Test the feasibility of the study protocol, including recruitment and retention.

II. Assess the short-term impact of the intervention on standardized measures of
behavioral-emotional adjustment of spouse caregivers and diagnosed women on depressed mood,
anxiety, quality of marital communication, perceived spousal support, and spouse caregivers'
skills and self-confidence to manage the emotional toll of the illness on themselves and the
ill partner.

OUTLINE:

Patients and spouse caregivers complete the Taking Care of Her Program comprising 5
telephone-delivered intervention sessions over 45-60 minutes every 2 weeks. The intervention
sessions are designed to provide training for spouse caregivers and patients to better
manage the impact and emotional toll of recently diagnosed ovarian cancer, including its
impact on their interpersonal communication and support about the cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Spouses of women with diagnosed within the past 8 months with stage III or IV ovarian
cancer will be eligible to participate, as will the diagnosed wife/partner

- Spouses and patients must be married or cohabiting and in intimate relationship for
at least 6 months

- Have English as one of their languages of choice (they can be multilingual)

- Have access to a telephone

- Have not been diagnosed with a prior cancer within the recent 5 years, except basal
or squamous cell skin carcinoma

- Both heterosexual and same sex couples will be eligible

Exclusion Criteria:

- Women diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and who are hospice eligible

- Spouses/partners could not participate if the patient refused participation