What is FOCUS?
FOCUS is a program originally created by researchers at the University of Michigan to support cancer patients and their caregivers. In the program, the patient and caregiver meet with a facilitator to discuss concerns and receive resources.
FOCUS stands for:
F: Family Involvement
O: Outlook
C: Coping Effectiveness
U: Uncertainty Reduction
S: Symptom Management
These themes guide the discussions between the facilitator and participants. FOCUS has been shown in multiple studies to improve well-being for both cancer patients and caregivers. While FOCUS has been adapted in various ways, none of these adaptations have specifically addressed the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.
Results of the previous FOCUS studies are described in the articles linked below:
Helping Patients and Their Family Caregivers Cope With Cancer | Oncology Nursing Society
How did we adapt FOCUS?
To create FOCUS ON US, researchers from the University of Rochester and Wayne State University worked with a community advisory board (CAB) of LGBTQ+ cancer survivors and caregivers, along with partners from the National LGBTQ+ Cancer Network and a team of researchers with expertise related to LGBTQ+ health, wellbeing, and cancer. We held focus groups with LGBTQ+ cancer survivors and caregivers from across the country, providing information about the FOCUS content and asking for feedback on how to make it more useful for the LGBTQ+ community.