The feasibility of caregiver-delivered massage program for cancer patients undergoing palliative care

A feasibility study of caregiver-delivered massage program for cancer palliative care patients

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN16470761

Enrollment

Registered

2017-01-05

Start date

2016-02-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2019-05-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Terminal cancer Cancer

Interventions

Before the intervention, dyads (pairs of caregivers and cancer patients) will be randomized into intervention or wait-list control group. Each group will have 20 dyads. Double-blind randomization will

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Patients: 1. Aged 18 or above 2. Diagnosed with cancer 3. Able to communicate in Chinese 4. Staying at home 5. Willing to comply with the proposed intervention Family caregivers: 1. Aged 18 or above 2. Able to communicate in Chinese 3. Willing to comply with the proposed intervention

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Patients with deep vein thrombosis, devices and obvious skin problem/fracture/metastasis of the upper limb(s) 2. Patients and caregivers with any cognitive impairment that interferes with the completion of the study 3. Allergic to almond oil

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
1. Distress levels of patients and family caregivers will be measured using the distress thermometer, a visual analogue scale used to evaluate psychological distress at baseline and 3 weeks 2. Symptom burden will be measured using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System at baseline and 3 weeks 3. Sleep quality of both patients and caregivers will be evaluated by the use of a wrist-worn sleep tracking device which will monitor the various sleep parameters of the participants, including total sleep time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, immobility time, mean activity score, and number of awakening at baseline and 3 weeks 4. Quality of life of patients will be measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL). Quality of life of family caregivers will be measured using the Short Form 12 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF12v2) at baseline and 3 weeks 5. Perceived preparedness of family caregivers will be measured using the Preparedness for caregiving scale, while their perceived competence will be measured using the Caregiving Competence Scale at baseline and 3 weeks	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Distress levels of patients and family caregivers will be measured using the distress thermometer, a visual analogue scale used to evaluate psychological distress at baseline and 3 weeks 2. Symptom burden will be measured using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System at baseline and 3 weeks 3. Sleep quality of both patients and caregivers will be evaluated by the use of a wrist-worn sleep tracking device which will monitor the various sleep parameters of the participants, including total sleep time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, immobility time, mean activity score, and number of awakening at baseline and 3 weeks 4. Quality of life of patients will be measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 15-Palliative Care (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL). Quality of life of family caregivers will be measured using the Short Form 12 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF12v2) at baseline and 3 weeks 5. Perceived preparedness of family caregivers will be measured using the Preparedness for caregiving scale, while their perceived competence will be measured using the Caregiving Competence Scale at baseline and 3 weeks

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Recruitment rate 2. Retention rate 3. Participant compliance to the intervention 4. Participant satisfaction	—

Countries

Hong Kong

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026