UB RESEARCH PROJECT FOR CDHS CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
CDHS, College Relations Group (Buffalo State College Research
Foundation) and
Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology,
University at Buffalo/SUNY
Work Plan Agreement
September 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004
Sally Speed, Office of Medicaid Management Unit Director
Award: 31177
Project: 1037112
Task: 2
James P. Donnelly, Ph.D., Asst. Professor
University at Buffalo/SUNY
Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology
J. Aubrey Burhart, Ed.M., Doctoral Student
University at Buffalo/SUNY
Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology
Project: Cognitive Impact of Intensive Treatments for Chronic Illness
Overview
The last century witnessed an historic change in the outcomes of many chronic illnesses.
Instead of a high probability of death, people with cancer and other life threatening
illnesses are now likely to anticipate long term survival. However, survival may be a
complicated situation, as both disease and treatments produce side effects that challenge
the person’s capacity to cope and also impact their quality of life. The present project will
focus on cognitive changes associated with treatment for cancer, an illness in which the
central nervous system is often affected by such treatments as chemotherapy and
radiation. Cognitive changes may be subtle, moderate or profound, but the capacity to
think, plan, remember, reason, perceive, make decisions and other cognitive operations
always has an impact on functioning at some level, and frequently affect quality of life.
One example of this is when a person is discharged from a hospital following treatment
and assumed to be capable of independence in their self-care and day-to-day living.
Follow-up treatments are often crucial to long-term survival and compliance with
medical plans may be severely compromised by impaired cognitive ability.
Goals of the Present Project: The present project will consist of a review of the
literature on treatments for cancer and identification of studies that have measured
changes in cognition associated with treatment. The project will identify specific
cognitive domains associated with particular treatments and their effects.
Application:
HTL 03 Chronic Care Institute Long Term Care Alternative Curriculum
Rationale: This research will be used to assist Medicaid Trainers by providing
background for training and supporting their statements in training on the kinds of
cognitive issues that are most likely to affect the population receiving home and long
term care.
Objectives:
1) Review of literature on cognitive impact of treatment for cancer.
2) Development of a set of guidelines for interviewing people with possible
cognitive deficits and for identifying options for follow-up with such
individuals