Boston College-Initiatives on Aging
The OPTIONS study is sponsored by the National Institute for Nursing Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
| Key Study Personnel | |
| Rachel Pruchno, Ph.D. | Principal Investigator |
| Norman Levinsky, MD | Co-Investigator |
| Lucy Feild, Ph.D., RN | Project Director |
| Suzy Conway, LICSW | Project Manager |
| Jennifer Rosenbaum, MA | Recruitment Manager |
About the Study
The purpose of this research study is to learn more about the experiences of older married couples when one of them is on hemodialysis. We are interested in the impact of dialysis on your lives and plans for the future. We expect about 300 couples to join the study.
What it Involves for You and Your Spouse
You and your spouse would each talk separately with a specially trained interviewer four times over a three-year period. The interviewer will ask a series of questions about your health and functioning, your treatment preferences, quality of life, values/beliefs and relationships.
If you live in the Boston area, the first interview will take place in your home or at another location, if you prefer. If you live some distance away, this interview can take place over the phone. The first interview will last about two hours. It can be split into parts if you get tired. The other three interviews will be annual. They will each last about an hour and a half, and will be done over the phone. To thank you for your time, all those who join the study will receive occasional small gifts and newsletters about the study.
Any Risks?
There are no serious risks associated with this study. The interview may be tiring for you. Some questions may bring up feelings that are emotionally distressing. You are free to take a break or to stop the interviews at any time. You are also free to skip over any questions that you do not wish to answer.
To protect your privacy, your name will not be on any of the information that you give us for the study. A code number will be used instead. All information will be stored in locked files at the research office.
Who Will Benefit?
There may be no personal benefit if you join the study. However, you may find it helpful to share your experiences or may welcome the chance to help others. The ultimate foal is to improve the quality of care for those on dialysis and their spouses. We expect that what we learn from the study will also help policy makers and health care providers to better understand how treatment choices for kidney failure affect couples' lives.
To Learn More About the Study
Call toll-free for more information: (866) 772-3387.
Initiatives on Aging
Boston College
885 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02459
| Contact: | Jennifer Rosenbaum, Recruitment Manager |
| Phone: (617) 552-1471 | |
| Toll-free: (866) 772-3387 | |
| Fax: (617) 552-1492 | |
For Immediate Release
New Research Study at Boston College Focusing on Older Couples and Hemodialysis
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass., Jan. 24, 2002 - Researchers at Boston College are launching a new study focused on patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and their spouses. Funded by the National Institute for Nursing Research, this five-year study focuses on the ways in which patients and spouses make decisions about medical care.
The average age of patients starting treatment exceeds 62. Hemodialysis is the most frequently chosen treatment. Because patients with ESRD are surviving longer than ever before, they and their health care providers are often called upon to make very difficult decisions. These decisions are often made within the context of the marriage, yet little is known about how spouses make decisions about continuing or stopping dialysis and how these decisions affect the spouses themselves.
Rachel Pruchno, Ph.D., a Boston College research psychologist and Director of the Initiatives on Aging, is the Principal Investigator. Norman G. Levinsky, M.D., a nephrologist at Boston University Medical Center, is the Co-Investigator.
The researchers are seeking 300 couples to volunteer to join the study. To be eligible, both partners must agree to participate. Patients must be 55 or older and on hemodialysis for at least six months. Couples must be married or living with their partner for five years or more.
The study involves interviews only. Those who agree to be in the study will participate in confidential interviews four times over a three-year period.
Information gained from the study is expected to be used to increase understanding of the impact of dialysis on couples and their wishes for the future, and also provide direction for improvements in quality of care to both patients and their spouses/partners.
To learn more about the study, please call Jennifer Rosenbaum, toll-free at (866) 772-3387.
