Deborah C Messecar, Ph.D., R.N., M.P.H., C.N.S.

RESEARCH

Research Projects Ongoing or Completed During the Last 3 Years:

Environmental Modification Information for Caregivers
Principal Investigator: Deborah C. Messecar, PHD, RN
Agency: American Nurses Foundation
Type: Private Foundation, 9/1/99 – 7/1/01
The purpose of this study was to identify caregivers preferred formats for receiving environmental modification information. Data are being collected from family caregivers using focus group interviewing techniques.

Feasibility of a Virtual Health and Wellness Center for the ORANG.
Principal Investigator, Deborah C. Messecar, PHD, RN
Agency: Tri-Services Nursing Research Grant (N99-032)
Type: Department of Defense, 9/1/99 – 7/1/01
The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of developing a virtual health and wellness program for a group of military members. Both telephone and mailed surveys are being used to collect data. Thus far, 540 mailed surveys have been returned. Preliminary findings indicate that military members are very computer literate, have access to the Internet, and are interested in making health behavior changes with the assistance of a nurse coach.

Patterns of Family Caregiving: Pilot Creations of a Relational Research Database.
Co-Principal Investigator, Deborah C. Messecar, RN, PHD, MPH
Agency: Faculty Intramural Research Award
Type: Intramural, 7/12/00- 7/11/01
The purpose of this study is to test the development of a research database using electronic clinical record information collected in the Family Care Study clinical trial.

Customized Family Care for Symptom Management”
Principal Investigator, Deborah C. Messecar, RN, PHD, MPH
Agency: Beta Psi Chapter Sigma Theta Tau
Type: Extramural, 7/1/03 - 7/1/04
The purpose of this study is to interview family caregivers who participated in an intervention to improve preparedness for caregiving to identify their perception of what was and was not helpful in terms of managing symptoms for the older adults for whom they provide care.

Nurse-Family Collaboration and Symptom Management.
Principal Investigator, Deborah C. Messecar, RN, PHD, MPH
Agency: NINR P20 Pilot
Type: Extramural 9/1/03 - 8/31/04
The purpose of this study is to determine if symptom management issue clusters predict patterns of change in caregiver role strain and depression during nurse-family collaboration.

Research Training Completed During the Last 3 Years:

• 1998 Interdisciplinary Team Outcomes Research Training, University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2-16 August.
• 2000 Hartford Institute Geriatric Nursing Research Scholars, New York University, 25-30 June.
• 2001 QSR International Train the Trainer N5 and NVivo Workshop Melbourne Australia 9-13 July; Mixed Methods Workshop, Bowral Australia, 16-18 July.

Research Projects Completed

• 1994-1996 Environmental Modifications Strategies Caregivers Use, National Institute of Nursing Research, Individual Nursing Research Service Award F31 (NRO7047-01,02, 03).
  

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Messecar, D. (1997). Environmental modification strategies used by caregivers. Communicating Nursing Research Proceedings, 30(5), 180.

Messecar, D. (1997). Environmental Modification Strategies Used by Caregivers. The Gerontologist, Abstracts, 37, (Special Issue 1), 254.

Messecar, D. & Kendall, J. (1998). Guard and Reserve Spouse Stress During the Persian Gulf War Separation. Journal of Family Nursing, 3, 303-333.

Messecar, D. (1998). The client with a cardiac or pulmonary impairment. In L. Neal (Ed.) Rehabilitation Nursing in the Home Health Setting (pp. 227-247). American Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, Glenview: IL.

Messecar, D. (1998). Reliability and validity of the Interviewer’s Observation of the Environment Scale (IOES). Sigma Theta Tau International's 10th International Nursing Research Congress Program and Abstracts, 115.

Messecar, D. (1999). Environmental Modifications Used by Caregivers. Dissertation Abstracts International, 59, 11b. (University Microfilms No. DAI9911577).

Messecar, D. (1999). Home Environmental Modifications: Relative Advantage from the Caregivers Perspective. The Gerontologist, Abstracts, 39,(Special Issue 1), 334.