Improving Self-Efficacy Through a Telenovela: Feasibility Study

Telenovela is a television drama or soap opera that can be used to lead viewers to contemplate and discuss critical issues through video storytelling. Prior work showed informational telenovelas had a positive effect on Latino family caregivers' attitudes toward end-of-life (EOL) care services. The role of videos in hospice and palliative care shows significant promise, underscoring the videos as a mode of education for family caregivers that could potentially enhance caregiver's self-efficacy, decrease caregiver's anxiety, and reduce burnout. Despite the value of video education, many programs have failed to provide engaging material.

Based on input from HFCG, the investigators have produced a bilingual (Spanish and English version) four chapter telenovela video series (To Care/ El privilegio de cuidar) as part of NCI funded diversity supplement study. Founded upon extensive preliminary work, To Care portrays the journey of one hospice family as the family struggle with the hospice decision, pain management, decision-making, and finally the dying process. Averaging only 4:65 minutes, each chapter addresses one of these problems, validating family experiences and identifying potential solutions. Based on this work and interviews with hospice staff the investigators have built an intervention, NOVELA, to disseminate telenovelas to family caregivers in hospice agencies. The investigators will test the feasibility of NOVELA delivery in the hospice setting and evaluate efficacy of the intervention. The overall expectation is that NOVELA will improve self-efficacy thus lowering anxiety in hospice family caregivers. This proposal has the following aims:

• Specific Aim 1: To pilot test the feasibility and acceptability of integrating NOVELA with hospice care for family caregivers of hospice patients
• Specific Aim 2: To investigate the preliminary efficacy of integrating NOVELA with hospice care for family caregivers of hospice patients