Digital communication tool for children with cancer
A Person-centred Approach to Pictorial Support in Care for Children (PicPecc)
This study is testing a new digital tool that helps children with cancer share their feelings and symptoms during treatment to see if it makes their care better and less stressful.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 5 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Göteborg University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | methotrexate |
| Locations | 1 site (Gothenburg) |
| Trial ID | NCT04433650 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This project investigates the effectiveness of a digital picture-based communication tool designed to support children aged 5-17 years with cancer during high-dose methotrexate treatment. The intervention aims to enhance person-centred care by allowing children to express their symptoms and distress more effectively. A hybrid study design will be employed, incorporating both a crossover design for intervention effects and a mixed-methods approach for process evaluation, including qualitative interviews with children, their guardians, and healthcare professionals. The goal is to assess whether this tool can reduce distress and improve communication in pediatric cancer care.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are children aged 5-17 years with cancer who are undergoing high-dose methotrexate treatment.
Not a fit: Patients aged 0-4 years may not benefit from this study due to the cognitive requirements for understanding the communication tool.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly improve symptom communication and reduce distress in children undergoing cancer treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using digital tools for communication in healthcare, suggesting potential success for this novel approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Children with cancer, 5-17 years * The children´s legal guardians * Healthcare professionals who take care of these children * The child needs to have a cognitive level of approximately five years (i.e., be able to understand a numeric rating scale (NRS)). Exclusion Criteria: \- Children 0-4 years
Where this trial is running
Gothenburg
- University of Gothenburg — Gothenburg, Sweden (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Stefan Nilsson, PhD — Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Study coordinator: Stefan Nilsson, PhD
- Email: stefan.nilsson.4@gu.se
- Phone: +46738538951
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.