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Prof. Klemm awarded ONS research grant

Paula R. Klemm, associate professor of nursing
3:41 p.m., Aug. 24, 2005--Paula R. Klemm, associate professor of nursing, has received a research grant to study online breast cancer support groups from the Oncology Nursing Society Foundation.

The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) is a professional organization of more than 32,000 registered nurses and other health-care providers working to promote excellence in oncology nursing and cancer care.

Spokesperson Jeanette Kent said recent grants often focus on long-distance learning and online education for cancer patients. Klemm received a $9,600 grant to study the effectiveness of online breast cancer support groups as compared with other support systems.

Klemm said she is recruiting 60 breast cancer patients to be randomly assigned to one of three groups-­an online support group with a social worker as a facilitator, a self-directed online chat group without a facilitator and a group of patients who receive the usual care.

Only about one in 10 breast cancer patients actually joins a support group, she said. While there are advantages to face-to-face meetings, she said some patients choose online groups due to time constraints or complications from disabilities.

“This really hasn’t been studied very much in terms of the efficacy of these groups. We want to try to determine if these groups are as useful as the face-to-face groups in reducing depression and helping women cope with their disease,’’ Klemm said.

She said participants are being recruited through the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, the Cancer Care Connection, Simply You, Speciality Rehabilitation, Bayhealth and a Maryland physician’s office, but patients who are interested in joining the study may call her at (302) 831- 8501 or e-mail her at [klemmpa@udel.edu].

Article by Kathy Canavan
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson

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