Table 2.
Characteristics of included studies not reporting quantitative results.
| Study (country) | N | Setting and participants | Intervention characteristics and comparison | Outcomes of interest and measures | Reported findings according to authors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS | |||||
| Boele et al. (37) (The Netherlands) | NS | Adult grade II, III or IV glioma patients with mild-moderate depressive symptoms and their informal caregivers, recruited through advertising and treating HCPs | Internet-based self-help course based on principles of problem solving, with information about specific diseases and treatment, and psychological impact on everyday life. Five modules (text and exercises), 2 h/week over 5 weeks. Feedback from personal coach. Wait list control and non-CNS malignancy control group | Satisfaction (usability, readability, usefulness of the course and coach’s feedback assessed by questionnaire) immediately and 6 months after intervention | Data collection in progress |
| SINGLE ARM STUDIES | |||||
| Lima et al. (42) (US) | NS | Newly diagnosed primary brain tumor patients at a Comprehensive Cancer Center | Survivorship care delivery model involving nurse practitioner survivorship visits in coordination with primary neuro-oncologist. Aims: to identify and manage symptoms and distress; patient education; facilitation of communication among care providers; navigation of resources. Visits scheduled within 3 weeks of diagnosis and at specific points in the disease trajectory. Included personalized education notebook, calendar, pedometer, and “walking challenge,” after visit summary and written summaries sent to all treatment team members | Satisfaction regarding initial survivorship visit and patient education notebook (collected by survey), timing unclear | Data collection in progress |
| Patterson and Lovely (43) (US) | NS | Family caregivers of brain tumor patients, implemented at medical centers | 8-h workshop curriculum providing information on topics such as medical overview of brain tumors, symptom management at home, understanding cognitive changes, how to safely move a patient. Offered by oncology nurses and aims to develop practical care skills | Caregiver knowledge (measured by questionnaire), satisfaction (overall benefit of the workshop as perceived by participants), timing unclear | No results reported |
| Spezeski et al. (46) (US) | 75 | Callers to a neuro-oncology telephone service (35% patients, 52% family/friend of patient) | Neuro-oncology information telephone line providing information on topics such as brain tumor types and treatments, caregiving issues, symptom management, and referrals to support-related resources | Satisfaction (measurement tool unclear) | “Callers expressed satisfaction with their experience and found the information to be quite helpful” (p. 549). “Virtually all callers said they would recommend the hotline to others needing information about brain tumors” (p. 549) |
HCP, healthcare professional; NS, not specified.