Developing and validating the EFT self-assessment tool for adolescents with cancer
Official title: Development and Validation of the Exercise Fit Test (EFT) for Adolescents With Cancer
Run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · NCT05304988 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether the EFT, a self-assessment tool, helps adolescents with cancer choose safe and appropriate levels of physical activity.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 13 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hong Kong, Hong Kong,China) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 7, 2020 |
| Main results expected | September 6, 2023 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | August 20, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT05304988 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Cantonese-speaking adolescents aged 13–18 with a cancer diagnosis who can read Chinese, have no major physical or cognitive impairments, and are not currently medically restricted from activity.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with significant physical or cognitive impairments, those advised against physical activity by clinicians, or those who cannot read Chinese or communicate in Cantonese are unlikely to benefit from this tool.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
A cross-sectional design will recruit a convenience sample of 400 adolescents aged 13–18 with a cancer diagnosis at Hong Kong Children's Hospital. Participants who speak Cantonese and can read Chinese will complete demographic questionnaires, pain scores, cardiopulmonary function measurements, and the EFT self-assessment. Physiotherapists will independently rate each participant's fitness for physical activity to provide a comparison standard. The study aims to validate the EFT by comparing its scores with objective tests and clinician ratings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the EFT could let teens with cancer independently pick activity levels that match their current condition and help them stay active after formal programs end.
How similar studies have gone: Prior interventions have temporarily increased activity in adolescents with cancer but tools for patient self-assessment like the EFT are novel and have not been widely tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 13-18 * are diagnosed with cancer * are able to communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese Exclusion Criteria: Those with physical or cognitive impairments and learning problems, as identified from the medical records, were excluded. Also, those with medical advice that physical activity was not recommended or with detailed exercise prescriptions from physicians or physiotherapists during recruitment were excluded.
Where it's running
-
Katherine Lam
Hong Kong, Hong Kong,China, Hong Kong Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Katherine Lam, PhD — The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Study coordinator: Katherine Lam, PhD
- Email: kwkatlam@polyu.edu.hk
- Phone: 27666420
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.