How can I be part of this study?If you are interested in participating, or if you would like more information about the study, please contact:

Lixin (Lee) Song, RN, PhDAssistant Professor

Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

and

School of Nursing

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460Tel: 919-966-3612

Toll free: 1-888 776-0037 Email: careforfamily@unc.edu

What do I get for participating?• You will help improve the PERC website

and program, which will help other prostate cancer patients and their families.

• Youandyourpartnermayalsolearnskillsto help you manage your prostate cancer symptoms and stress as a team.

• To thankyou foryour timeand input,youand your partner will receive $30 gift cards (for a total of $60 for both of you) each time you complete various parts of the study (questionnaires, interviews, review of the PERC program online materials).

How is my privacy protected?• We will not share information you provide

with anyone, including your partner, without your permission.

• All information we receive, including yourname and any other identifying information will be kept strictly confidential. It will be kept under lock and key.

• Wewillnotuseanyinformationthatwouldmake it possible for anyone to identify you in any reports about this study.

Prostate Cancer Education and Resources for

Couples (PERC): A Couple-Centered

Web-Based Symptom

Management Program

Taking care of ourselves! Helping others

through research!

Pros

tate

Can

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A C

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Stor

yModels used for illustrative purposes.

Models used for illustrative purposes.

Prostate cancer is often called a “couple’s illness.”

Symptoms men have after they’re treated for prostate cancer affect both members of the couple. The Prostate Cancer Education andResources for Couples (PERC) is designed to benefit both members of a couple by encouraging them to work together to manage these symptoms. It was created to help couples:

• Increase their knowledge about symptoms related to prostate cancer and its treatment.

• Improve their skills in managing symptoms.

• Enhance their relationship skills and their ability to communicate with each other about prostate cancer and related issues.

Who can join this study?Thisisacouple-basedstudy.Youmaybeableto join if you, as a patient, and your partner are BOTHwillingtoparticipate.Aswell:

• You must have completed initial treatment for prostate cancer.

• You must be 40 years or or older and your partner must be 21 years or older.

• You and your partner must both understand and speak English.

• You must have Internet access.

• Your partner cannot have been diagnosed with cancer or received active treatment for a cancer during the last 12 months.

What happens in this study?Yourparticipationwilllastabout3-6weeks.Atthe beginning and at the end, each of you will completea30-minutequestionnaireaboutyoursymptoms and cancer experiences. Between the two questionnaires, you will work through the PERC program.

ThePERCprogramallowsyouandyourpartnerto work through helpful online education and resources at your own pace, in your own home. Theeducationandresourcesfocusonhowtocope with the stress of prostate cancer and manage symptoms you may experience (for example, bowel, urinary, or hormonal symptoms, fatigue or pain). You’ll work together on some exercises, talking about various issues you’re experiencing.

If you and your partner are interested in helping to improve the PERC program, you can enroll in the next part of the study. You will interviewed

Prostate Cancer: A Couple’s Story

together and separately via telephone about your impression of the PERC program.

Are there any risks?Theriskstostudyparticipantsareminimal.

Will this affect my medical care?You may agree or decline to be in the study. Your choice will not affect your medical care or your partner’s medical care. You may drop out of the study at any time.

Models used for illustrative purposes.

The cancer is in my husband’s body; but it’s constantly in my mind. —Wife of a prostate cancer patient

Models used for illustrative purposes.