Using digital art to help cancer patients express their feelings and symptoms
A Digital Art Activity to Enhance Self-Disclosure and the Detection of Psycho-social Distress in Adult Cancer Patients
This study tests if creating digital art can help cancer patients share their feelings and symptoms better than just listening to music.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Houston, Texas) |
| Trial ID | NCT06127121 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study aims to evaluate the impact of a digital art activity on cancer patients' ability to express their distress and symptoms. Participants will engage in a creative art-making activity and report their experiences using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at various time points. The study will compare the effects of the digital art activity against an active control condition of music listening, assessing changes in symptom reporting and distress disclosure over time.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates include adult cancer patients aged 18 and older who are currently receiving treatment for solid tumors or hematological malignancies.
Not a fit: Patients who are cognitively impaired, unable to use a digital tablet, or have significant speech or vision impairments may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could enhance cancer patients' ability to communicate their distress and improve their overall well-being.
How similar studies have performed: While the use of creative activities in healthcare is gaining attention, this specific approach using digital art for cancer patients is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age equal or greater than 18 years 2. Patients who are admitted in the hospital and have received a cancer diagnosis. 3. Suffering from solid cancer or hematological malignancy and receiving active treatment for their cancer. 4. Voluntary written consent. 5. Fluent in English or Spanish. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Not being able to use a digital tablet 2. Being speech impaired or vision impaired 3. Patients who are cognitively impaired and unable to read or consent for the study 4. Pregnant women
Where this trial is running
Houston, Texas
- MD Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, Texas, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Carlos Roldan, MD — M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Carlos Roldan, MD
- Email: croldan@mdanderson.org
- Phone: (713) 563-7402
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.