@neWorld: A Virtual Community For Kids With Cancer
@neWorld: A Virtual Community For Kids With Cancer
RATIONALE: Using an Internet Web site that enables children with cancer to interact online with classmates, participate in classroom activities, get easy-to-read medical information, and chat with family members, medical staff, and other children with cancer may help children cope with isolation, fear, and decreased self-esteem.
PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the effectiveness of an Internet Web site in providing social support and education to children who are undergoing treatment for cancer.
OBJECTIVES:
Develop an Internet-based application that allows pediatric patients with cancer to enter a virtual community with the following capabilities:
Determine the acceptability of this program among groups of these patients and their classmates, teachers, family members, and healthcare providers using focus groups.
Determine the effect of this program on self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived social support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, and feelings of control over health destiny in these patients.
Determine the effect of this program on the performance of these patients in school.
Determine the effect of this program in alleviating psychological distress in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.
Phase I: Students, family members, teachers, and health providers participate in focus groups to provide system design and implementation input and to assess overall acceptability of a prototype Internet-based application for pediatric cancer patients.
Phase II: Patients are assigned to 1 of 2 groups, based on participating center.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 94 patients (44 for group 1 and 50 for group 2) will be accrued for this study.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age
Performance status
Life expectancy
Hematopoietic
Hepatic
Renal
Other
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Biologic therapy
Chemotherapy
Endocrine therapy
Radiotherapy
Surgery