A PILOT STUDY: DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE HOME-BASED PALLIATIVE-CARE TRAINING MODULE FOR RELATIVES OF CANCER PATIENTS IN RURAL INDIA

Dr. Swarnendu Biswas*

Background: Family caregivers are central to home-based palliative care in rural India, where access to institutional services remains limited. Training relatives in symptom management, communication, and caregiver self-care can improve patient comfort and reduce caregiver burden. Objective: To review existing literature on caregiver training in palliative care and to outline a protocol for the development and pilot evaluation of a pictorial, competency-based training module for relatives of cancer patients in rural India. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies on caregiver training in palliative care, with emphasis on low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. Findings were synthesized to inform module design. A pilot study is proposed using a mixed-methods, pre–post intervention design in two rural districts of India. Fifty caregivers of advanced cancer patients will be recruited. The intervention will include an initial home-based session delivered by community health workers (CHWs), distribution of pictorial job aids, and structured follow-up visits. Primary outcomes will include caregiver knowledge, skills, and burden; secondary outcomes will assess patient symptom scores and unplanned hospital visits. Expected Results: It is anticipated that caregivers will demonstrate improved competency and reduced burden, with patients reporting lower symptom distress. Feasibility will be assessed through recruitment, retention, and acceptability. Conclusion: A structured, culturally adapted, home-based training module has the potential to strengthen palliative care in rural India by empowering caregivers. Pilot evaluation will provide evidence for scaling the model within community health systems.