Teens Taking Charge: Managing Cancer Online

Teens Taking Charge: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Self-Management and Transitional Care Program for Youth With Cancer

Cancer is the most common potentially fatal disease of adolescence and the Internet represents an ideal means to deliver education, self-monitoring capabilities, and social support to enhance disease self-management by adolescents with cancer. While two interactive coping websites exist for young people with cancer, they are: (1) not interactive, (2) do not focus on helping youth gain skills for transition and independence, and (3) do not provide opportunities for meaningful social support. In summary, there is a crucial need to develop a comprehensive interactive Internet-based self-management program targeting AWC that is comprised of cancer education, self-management skills, and opportunities for social support, and that is cost-effective.

Overall aim of this program of research is to develop and evaluate the "Teens Taking Charge: Managing Cancer Online" Internet intervention that will help AWC to better cope with their disease, improve their HRQL, and enhance readiness to transition to adult health care using a sequential phased approach. The first phase of this project has determined the self-management and transitional care needs of adolescents with cancer. The second phase consisted of website development and usability testing to ensure the website is easy to use and understand, and is efficient and satisfying to complete. Subsequently, we will assess the feasibility of the program and the outcomes from the use of the site in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) pilot study (Phase 3). This will inform the design and methods of the main trial, and will permit us to obtain estimates of treatment effects on AWC health outcomes to inform the calculation of an appropriate sample size for the future definitive RCT (Phase 4). The focus of this study is Phase 3. Phase 4 will be a multicentre randomized controlled trial to assess outcomes for teens that complete the intervention as compared to those of an attention control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Parents and adolescents will be eligible to participate if the adolescents are:

  1. between 12-18 years of age
  2. diagnosed with cancer (at least 3 months from diagnosis)
  3. on active treatment
  4. able to speak and read English and/or French at a Grade 6 level

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents will be excluded if they:

  1. have major cognitive impairments
  2. have reduced executive function that may impact their ability to understand and use the online program
  3. are terminal/palliative as determined by their oncologist Parents/caregivers are not eligible to participate in the study alone (without an adolescent)