Lauri A Linder1,2, Amy R Newman3,4, Kristin Stegenga5, Yin-Shun Chiu6, Sarah E Wawrzynski6,7, Heidi Kramer8, Charlene Weir8, Scott Narus8,9, Roger Altizer10. 1. College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. lauri.linder@nurs.utah.edu. 2. Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. lauri.linder@nurs.utah.edu. 3. College of Nursing, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA. 4. Children's Hospital Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA. 5. Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA. 6. College of Nursing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 7. Pediatric Critical Care Services, Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 8. Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 9. Medical Informatics, Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. 10. Population Health Sciences, Entertainment Arts & Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with cancer have difficulty identifying and describing the multiple symptoms they experience during hospitalization and between clinical encounters. Mobile health resources, including apps, are potential solutions to support child-centric symptom reporting. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed game-based symptom-reporting app for school-age children with cancer. PROCEDURE: Nineteen school-age children (6-12 years of age) receiving treatment for cancer at a COG institution in the Intermountain West of the United States used a game-based symptom-reporting app between clinical visits. Feasibility was evaluated through a summary of actual days of app use and interaction with each of the app's features. Children and their parents participated in interviews regarding the app's acceptability. RESULTS: Children used the app a median of 4 days (range 1-12) and interacted most frequently with the symptom reporting and the drawing features. Children enjoyed aspects of the app that supported their creativity and provided choices. Parents endorsed the interactive nature of the app and the value of the child providing his/her own report. Both children and parents identified additional opportunities to enhance the child's user experience. CONCLUSION: Study results support the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the app. Children's and parents' responses supported the developmental relevance of the app and its role in enhancing the child's autonomy and serving as an outlet for creativity. Future directions include optimizing the child user's experience and investigating the app's role as a resource to enhance shared decision-making for symptom management.
BACKGROUND: Children with cancer have difficulty identifying and describing the multiple symptoms they experience during hospitalization and between clinical encounters. Mobile health resources, including apps, are potential solutions to support child-centric symptom reporting. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed game-based symptom-reporting app for school-age children with cancer. PROCEDURE: Nineteen school-age children (6-12 years of age) receiving treatment for cancer at a COG institution in the Intermountain West of the United States used a game-based symptom-reporting app between clinical visits. Feasibility was evaluated through a summary of actual days of app use and interaction with each of the app's features. Children and their parents participated in interviews regarding the app's acceptability. RESULTS: Children used the app a median of 4 days (range 1-12) and interacted most frequently with the symptom reporting and the drawing features. Children enjoyed aspects of the app that supported their creativity and provided choices. Parents endorsed the interactive nature of the app and the value of the child providing his/her own report. Both children and parents identified additional opportunities to enhance the child's user experience. CONCLUSION: Study results support the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the app. Children's and parents' responses supported the developmental relevance of the app and its role in enhancing the child's autonomy and serving as an outlet for creativity. Future directions include optimizing the child user's experience and investigating the app's role as a resource to enhance shared decision-making for symptom management.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cancer; Children; Games for health; Gamification; Mobile technology; Symptom assessment; mHealth
Authors: P S Hinds; J S Gattuso; A Fletcher; E Baker; B Coleman; T Jackson; A Jacobs-Levine; D June; S N Rai; S Lensing; C H Pui Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2004-05 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Marilyn J Hockenberry; Olga A Taylor; Alice Pasvogel; Cheryl Rodgers; Kathy McCarthy; Patricia Gundy; David W Montgomery; Phillip Ribbeck; Michael E Scheurer; Ida M Ki Moore Journal: Oncol Nurs Forum Date: 2014-07-01 Impact factor: 2.172
Authors: L Lee Dupuis; Xiaomin Lu; Hannah-Rose Mitchell; Lillian Sung; Meenakshi Devidas; Leonard A Mattano; William L Carroll; Naomi Winick; Stephen P Hunger; Kelly W Maloney; Nina S Kadan-Lottick Journal: Cancer Date: 2016-01-15 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: Tha'er G Momani; Belinda N Mandrell; Jami S Gattuso; Nancy K West; Stephanie L Taylor; Pamela S Hinds Journal: Cancer Nurs Date: 2015 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 2.592
Authors: Julia D H P Simon; Sasja A Schepers; Martha A Grootenhuis; Maarten Mensink; Angelique D Huitema; Wim J E Tissing; Erna M C Michiels Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2021-06-16 Impact factor: 3.603