Study of @neWorld: A Virtual Community for Children With Cancer

Overview

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.

Full Title of Study: “@neWorld: A Virtual Community For Kids With Cancer”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: – Develop an Internet-based application that allows pediatric patients with cancer to enter a virtual community with the following capabilities: – Interact with classmates and participate in classroom activities via e-mail, chat groups, online field trips, art studio, music room, and game room – Identify and interact with a community of peers with similar medical conditions – Access a dictionary to get medical information in understandable terms – Interact with the medical community online – Interact with family members online – 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. – Group 1: Patients have access to and utilize the Internet-based application @neWorld. – Group 2: Patients do not have access to or utilize @neWorld. In both groups, patients complete questionnaires measuring psychological distress, quality of life, self-esteem, coping behaviors, perceived academic and social competence, perceived social support, cancer-relevant medical knowledge, feelings of control over health destiny, utilization of psychological services, and performance in school at baseline and 3 and 6 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 94 patients (44 for group 1 and 50 for group 2) will be accrued for this study.

Interventions

  • Procedure: complementary or alternative medicine procedure
  • Procedure: management of therapy complications
  • Procedure: psychosocial assessment and care

Participating in This Clinical Trial

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Diagnosis of cancer – Currently receiving treatment for cancer PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age – 10 to 15 Performance status – Active Life expectancy – Not specified Hematopoietic – Not specified Hepatic – Not specified Renal – Not specified Other – Able to read and speak English PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy – Not specified Chemotherapy – Not specified Endocrine therapy – Not specified Radiotherapy – Not specified Surgery – Not specified

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 10 Years

Maximum Age: 15 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Leap of Faith Technologies
  • Collaborator
    • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Barbara Rapchak, Study Chair, Leap of Faith Technologies

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