A Videogame Intervention for Children With Cancer

Aga Khan University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Cancer

Treatments: Behavioral: Videogame; Behavioral: WhatsApp

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05796895

2022-6833-21251

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators aim to improve the quality of life and well-being of children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries through a videogame intervention. In this study, first, the investigators will identify common symptoms faced by children with cancer during their cancer treatment and their parents. Based on what they share, the investigators will develop a videogame to teach children how to manage their symptoms at home. The investigators will provide the videogame intervention to a group of children with cancer, and the other group will receive general Whatsapp messages to improve their overall health. Through survey questions, the investigators will test the videogame intervention from the first group of children to see whether their symptom distress decreased and their quality of life improved. The investigators will also test the videogame intervention for its usefulness, through interviews from children, their parents, and healthcare providers.

Full description

The prevalence of childhood malignancies has been rising worldwide. Chemotherapy and radiation cause severe side effects harming children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and causing symptom distress. Children who actively participate in their self-care make healthier choices for themselves. Several studies suggest that children engage better with digital health interventions (DHIs) and learn self-care quickly, consequently improving their health outcomes. Videogames are an example of evolving DHI to engage children and educate them about symptom management.

An exploratory sequential mixed methods design will be employed. In the first phase, the investigators conducted in-depth interviews with child-parent dyads to explore their experiences with cancer treatment and their preferences regarding the videogame's design. In the study's second phase, the investigators will work with clinical and digital health professionals to design the videogame based on the interview results. The investigators will conduct a Randomized Controlled Pilot and Feasibility Study (Pilot-RCT) in the third phase. The investigators will provide the intervention group's children access to a gaming application to teach children how to take care of themselves and manage symptoms associated with cancer treatment. Weekly WhatsApp messages on healthy behaviours will be sent to children in the attention control group.

Enrollment: 70 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 8-18 years old
• Diagnosed with any type and stage of cancer within six months of the diagnosis.
• Receiving active treatment
• Can comprehend Urdu and/or English language
• Have access to an android smartphone/tablet for at least 30 minutes/day to play the video game (either they or their parents own a smartphone)
• Provide informed assent and their parents provide written permission/consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Severely or critically ill
• Admitted only for blood transfusion without a diagnosis of cancer
• Receiving palliative treatment.
• Have presence of any diagnosed sight, hearing, cognitive impairment, or upper limb deformity limiting them to play the videogame.
• If already playing any videogame having the same content

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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70 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Children will be provided with the videogame through which we will teach them symptom management strategies.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Videogame

Attention Control Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

An attention control group will be used in this study for comparison with the intervention group. Children of the attention control group will receive weekly WhatsApp messages on general health behaviours.

Treatment:

Behavioral: WhatsApp