Lung Cancer and Aging: Improving Well-being for Older Adults With Lung Cancer

The purpose of this study is to develop a brief assessment and need-based behavioral intervention for addressing aging-specific concerns in older adults with lung cancer. The long-term goals of this research include identifying the unique concerns of these patients, providing patients with behavioral skills to address their symptom management needs, and enhancing patient engagement with healthcare specialties targeting aging-specific concerns. In the first phase of this study, participants (12 patients with lung cancer, 6 caregivers, 12 providers) will be asked to participate in two individual interviews (each 30-45 minutes in length) via teleconference. During the first interview, participants will be asked to provide feedback on the current version of the assessment and behavioral intervention. Participants will be asked to describe strengths and weaknesses of the materials, topics to add or remove, and any other suggested changes. After the research team has made changes to the materials, participants will be invited to complete a second interview to provide feedback on the updated materials. In the second phase of the study, 16 older adults with lung cancer will complete the revised assessment and participate in the behavioral intervention, in order to a) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the program and b) measure change in depression, anxiety, pain, and dyspnea.