Self-Management of Cancer-Related Fatigue by Adolescents

Self-Management of Cancer-Related Fatigue by Adolescents: Pilot Study of an Evidence Based Educational Resource

This study will investigate self-management of cancer-related fatigue by adolescents through pilot study of an evidence based educational resource.

Cancer-related fatigue is a prevalent and distressing symptom which has a significant impact on quality of life for children and adolescents with cancer and their families. Evidence based guidelines issued by the Oncology Nursing Society and National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend educational interventions for preventing and treating cancer-related fatigue.The primary study aim is to examine the relationships among: intensity of cancer-related fatigue; frequency of use of an evidence based educational resource for self-management of cancer-related fatigue; and perceived helpfulness of resource use. The secondary aim is to examine the relationship between the Fatigue Scale-Adolescent (FS-A) and the Symptom Distress Scale (SDS) 'tired' item as measures of intensity of cancer-related fatigue. The tertiary aim is to examine the feasibility of recruiting and retaining adolescents with cancer for longitudinal study of cancer-related fatigue.

Inclusion Criteria:

• adolescents 13-18 years inclusive
• leukemia, lymphoma, or malignant solid tumor; newly diagnosed and within 2 weeks of initiating therapy
• patient and consenting parent able to speak, read, and write English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• failure to meet all of inclusion criteria