Nurse-led Transitional Care to Improve Symptom Management in Childhood Cancer Survivors

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Begins enrollment in 4 months

Conditions: Pediatric Cancer

Treatments: Other: Usual Care; Other: Counseling based on Omaha system

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07273682

nurse-facilitated care

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a nurse-facilitated interdisciplinary transitional care programme, based on the Omaha system, for Chinese childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) and their parents in Hong Kong. Investigators will conduct a two-arm, randomized waitlist-controlled trial at the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, the only local center for CCS follow-up. Sixty-eight dyads (CCS aged 13-18 and a parent) will be randomized to either the 12-week nurse-led intervention or usual care. The intervention includes an initial face-to-face assessment and regular follow-ups via Zoom, focusing on symptom management, health education, and self-care empowerment, with referrals to other professionals as needed. The control group receives standard discharge care and educational materials, and will be offered the intervention after data collection. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, and 3 and 6 months post-intervention, including symptom management, quality of life, caregiver burden, self-efficacy, and emergency department visits. Feasibility will be evaluated by recruitment, retention, attendance, and data completeness rates. If effective, this programme could improve transitional care and symptom management for CCSs and their families, and inform clinical practice and policy in Hong Kong and beyond.

Enrollment: 68 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 13 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria for CCSs:

• aged between 13 and 18 years
• diagnosed with any cancer
• completion of active cancer treatment within a month
• communicate in Chinese

Inclusion Criteria for parents:

• mother or father who has a significant caregiving role in the child's life
• could participate in the intervention at the same time as their child
• communicate in Chinese
• have an electronic device to access zoom

Exclusion Criteria for CCSs:

• cognitive impairment
• social and/or behavioural problem
• have terminal cancer
• participate in any similar intervention

Exclusion Criteria for parents:

• severe emotional problems
• participate in any similar intervention

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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68 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Counseling based on Omaha system

Wait-list control group

Other group

Treatment:

Other: Usual Care

Other: Counseling based on Omaha system