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(1) Background: The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted people worldwide with unique implications for vulnerable groups. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the impact of the early pandemic on children undergoing active cancer treatment and their parents. (2) Methods: In May 2020, 30 parents of children undergoing active cancer treatment completed an online survey regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their child's cancer care, perceived utility of telemedicine, and child and parent mental health status. (3) Results: Most participants (87%) reported that they did not experience any changes to major cancer treatments. Among those who reported using telemedicine, 78% reported this to be beneficial. Over half of the participants reported that their child's mental health status was worse now than prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Parent-reported child anxiety scores were significantly higher for those who reported changes to mental health care for their child compared to those who did not report the same, t(25.99) = −3.04, p = 0.005. (4) Conclusion: Child and parent mental health status were affected when compared to pre-pandemic. Telemedicine appears to be a promising complement to face-to-face meetings for some families and warrants further exploration., + ID der Publikation: unilu_64488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2023-03-31 13:00:18

(1) Background: The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted people worldwide with unique implications for vulnerable groups. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the impact of the early pandemic on children undergoing active cancer treatment and their parents. (2) Methods: In May 2020, 30 parents of children undergoing active cancer treatment completed an online survey regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their child's cancer care, perceived utility of telemedicine, and child and parent mental health status. (3) Results: Most participants (87%) reported that they did not experience any changes to major cancer treatments. Among those who reported using telemedicine, 78% reported this to be beneficial. Over half of the participants reported that their child's mental health status was worse now than prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Parent-reported child anxiety scores were significantly higher for those who reported changes to mental health care for their child compared to those who did not report the same, t(25.99) = −3.04, p = 0.005. (4) Conclusion: Child and parent mental health status were affected when compared to pre-pandemic. Telemedicine appears to be a promising complement to face-to-face meetings for some families and warrants further exploration., + ID der Publikation: unilu_64488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2023-03-31 13:00:18

Objective Most adolescents and young adults (AYA) can expect to survive a cancer diagnosis and treatment, but all will be left with the potential of long-term negative effects that can impact their ability to reach their full potential in life. Understanding aspects of psychological, functional, and social health and well-being outcomes, is pivotal for optimising long-term well-being. Methods We completed a systematic review of longitudinal studies reporting outcomes after anti-cancer treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults diagnosed between the age of 12–29 years according to established systematic review processes. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD 42020203116). Results Thirteen reports from 10 studies met eligibility criteria representing 17,645 individuals (50.3% female, mean age at diagnosis 22 years, and 26 years at last, follow up). Eleven reports were from eight quantitative studies that relied on self-report surveys and two were qualitative studies. Psychological outcomes were reported to improve over time, as were functional health outcomes, although reported health behaviours were inconsistent between studies. Neurocognitive deficits were reported to affect the ability to return to work and impacts on fertility and sexuality were sustained over time. Conclusions While some outcomes for AYA are reported to improve over time, particularly for physical functioning, and anxiety and depression, the long-term impact of cancer on many important domains remains largely unknown. Specifically, the evidence to understand what changes occur over time, and when, remains underdeveloped.

Introduction: Adolescent and young adult (AYA; 13 to 39 years) survivors of childhood cancer may be especially vulnerable to physical health and mental health concerns during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health status of AYA survivors (Aim 1) and shared tailored, evidence-based health-related information on COVID-19 (Aim 2). Methods: Between May and June 2020, participants completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing their cancer history, current mental health status, and their COVID-19 information needs Results: Ninety-four participants (78 females, 13 males, 2 non-binary) with a mean age of 26.9 years (SD = 6.2) were included in the final sample. Participants reported residing from 10 countries and 94% identified as White. Nearly half of the participants (49%) described their mental health status as worse now than before the pandemic. Thirty-nine participants (41%) that indicated their current mental health status was tied to fears/worries about their past cancer and treatment experienced a higher level of anxiety and PTSS than those who did not report the same. Most participants (77%) had not received any information related to the potential risks of COVID-19 and expressed an interest in receiving this information. In response, an infographic detailing recommended strategies for coping with mental health in the pandemic, along with preliminary study findings, was developed. Discussion: AYA survivors reporting their mental health status was linked to their past cancer experienced poorer mental health. There is a value to educating survivors on their potential health risks, but accounting for their perceived mental health vulnerabilities should be considered when disseminating knowledge. The use of an infographic is a unique contribution towards the development of innovative and personalized means of sharing health education to this vulnerable yet resilient group. This research on the mental health status of AYA survivor, + ID der Publikation: unilu_59488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2022-06-27 15:03:13

Introduction: Adolescent and young adult (AYA; 13 to 39 years) survivors of childhood cancer may be especially vulnerable to physical health and mental health concerns during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health status of AYA survivors (Aim 1) and shared tailored, evidence-based health-related information on COVID-19 (Aim 2). Methods: Between May and June 2020, participants completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing their cancer history, current mental health status, and their COVID-19 information needs Results: Ninety-four participants (78 females, 13 males, 2 non-binary) with a mean age of 26.9 years (SD = 6.2) were included in the final sample. Participants reported residing from 10 countries and 94% identified as White. Nearly half of the participants (49%) described their mental health status as worse now than before the pandemic. Thirty-nine participants (41%) that indicated their current mental health status was tied to fears/worries about their past cancer and treatment experienced a higher level of anxiety and PTSS than those who did not report the same. Most participants (77%) had not received any information related to the potential risks of COVID-19 and expressed an interest in receiving this information. In response, an infographic detailing recommended strategies for coping with mental health in the pandemic, along with preliminary study findings, was developed. Discussion: AYA survivors reporting their mental health status was linked to their past cancer experienced poorer mental health. There is a value to educating survivors on their potential health risks, but accounting for their perceived mental health vulnerabilities should be considered when disseminating knowledge. The use of an infographic is a unique contribution towards the development of innovative and personalized means of sharing health education to this vulnerable yet resilient group. This research on the mental health status of AYA survivor, + ID der Publikation: unilu_59488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2022-06-27 15:03:13

Introduction: Adolescent and young adult (AYA; 13 to 39 years) survivors of childhood cancer may be especially vulnerable to physical health and mental health concerns during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health status of AYA survivors (Aim 1) and shared tailored, evidence-based health-related information on COVID-19 (Aim 2). Methods: Between May and June 2020, participants completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing their cancer history, current mental health status, and their COVID-19 information needs Results: Ninety-four participants (78 females, 13 males, 2 non-binary) with a mean age of 26.9 years (SD = 6.2) were included in the final sample. Participants reported residing from 10 countries and 94% identified as White. Nearly half of the participants (49%) described their mental health status as worse now than before the pandemic. Thirty-nine participants (41%) that indicated their current mental health status was tied to fears/worries about their past cancer and treatment experienced a higher level of anxiety and PTSS than those who did not report the same. Most participants (77%) had not received any information related to the potential risks of COVID-19 and expressed an interest in receiving this information. In response, an infographic detailing recommended strategies for coping with mental health in the pandemic, along with preliminary study findings, was developed. Discussion: AYA survivors reporting their mental health status was linked to their past cancer experienced poorer mental health. There is a value to educating survivors on their potential health risks, but accounting for their perceived mental health vulnerabilities should be considered when disseminating knowledge. The use of an infographic is a unique contribution towards the development of innovative and personalized means of sharing health education to this vulnerable yet resilient group. This research on the mental health status of AYA, + ID der Publikation: unilu_59488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2022-06-27 15:03:13

Introduction: Adolescent and young adult (AYA; 13 to 39 years) survivors of childhood cancer may be especially vulnerable to physical health and mental health concerns during the pandemic. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health status of AYA survivors (Aim 1) and shared tailored, evidence-based health-related information on COVID-19 (Aim 2). Methods: Between May and June 2020, participants completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing their cancer history, current mental health status, and their COVID-19 information needs Results: Ninety-four participants (78 females, 13 males, 2 non-binary) with a mean age of 26.9 years (SD = 6.2) were included in the final sample. Participants reported residing from 10 countries and 94% identified as White. Nearly half of the participants (49%) described their mental health status as worse now than before the pandemic. Thirty-nine participants (41%) that indicated their current mental health status was tied to fears/worries about their past cancer and treatment experienced a higher level of anxiety and PTSS than those who did not report the same. Most participants (77%) had not received any information related to the potential risks of COVID-19 and expressed an interest in receiving this information. In response, an infographic detailing recommended strategies for coping with mental health in the pandemic, along with preliminary study findings, was developed. Discussion: AYA survivors reporting their mental health status was linked to their past cancer experienced poorer mental health. There is a value to educating survivors on their potential health risks, but accounting for their perceived mental health vulnerabilities should be considered when disseminating knowledge. The use of an infographic is a unique contribution towards the development of innovative and personalized means of sharing health education to this vulnerable yet resilient group. This research on the mental health status of AYA, + ID der Publikation: unilu_59488 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2022-06-27 15:03:13

Telehealth interventions offer a practical platform to support adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors’ mental health needs after treatment, yet efficacy data are lacking. We eval-uated an online, group‐based, videoconferencing‐delivered cognitive‐behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention (‘Recapture Life’) in a 3‐arm randomized‐controlled trial comparing Recapture Life with an online peer‐support group, and a waitlist control, with the aim of testing its impact on quality of life, emotional distress and healthcare service use. Forty AYAs (Mage = 20.6 years) within 24‐months of completing treatment participated, together with 18 support persons. No groupwise impacts were measured immediately after the six‐week intervention. However, Recapture Life participants reported using more CBT skills at the six‐week follow‐up (OR = 5.58, 95% CI = 2.00–15.56, p = 0.001) than peer‐support controls. Recapture Life participants reported higher perceived negative impact of cancer, anxiety and depression at 12‐month follow‐up, compared to peer‐support controls. Post-hoc analyses suggested that AYAs who were further from completing cancer treatment responded better to Recapture Life than those who had completed treatment more recently. While online tele-health interventions hold promise, recruitment to this trial was challenging. As the psychological challenges of cancer survivorship are likely to evolve with time, different support models may prove more or less helpful for different sub‐groups of AYA survivors at different times.

Xiomara Skrabal Ross,1,2 Kate M Gunn,1,3 Pandora Patterson,4,5 Ian Olver6 1Cancer Research Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; 2School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; 3Department of Rural Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; 4Faculty of Nursing, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; 5Research and Youth Cancer Services, CanTeen Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; 6Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaCorrespondence: Kate M GunnUniversity of South Australia, City West Campus, HB Building, 8-25, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaTel +61 8 830 22137Email kate.gunn@unisa.edu.auPurpose: To describe the theoretical, evidence-based and consumer-informed development of a smartphone self-management program aiming to support adherence to oral chemotherapy in adolescents and adults diagnosed with cancer.Methods: The design of the program followed two frameworks for the development and evaluation of mHealth interventions and was conducted in three steps: 1) conceptualization, which involved an extensive literature review and a scoping review that led to the identification of the behavioral change strategies in the program; 2) definition of features and structure, based on a formative study with end-users to explore their preferences about the structure and elements of the program; and 3) selection of program delivery technology, whereby available technology platforms were examined and the most suitable tool to deliver the program was selected.Results: Three main reasons for oral chemotherapy non-adherence were identified: forgetfulness, side-effects and poor knowledge about oral chemotherapy. Key behavior change strategies were also identified, namely, medication intake reminders and information about oral chemotherapy and

Purpose To conduct a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies exploring experiences of young cancer patients to identify the overarching concepts that inform future service and research directions. Method A systematic literature search was conducted, and 51 articles published between January 2004 and March 2014 were collected via CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO databases. Deductive thematic analysis was conducted to identify major themes, guided by Hermeneutic notions on interpretation. Results Cancer impacted a wide range of life domains. These impacts were interconnected and bi-directional. The meanings of these impacts were closely related to their unique developmental needs and a social position as youth. Emotional struggles during these radical changes were evident, but efforts to make sense of their experiences and find meaning pervaded. Conclusions Given the interrelated nature of the cancer challenges young cancer patients experience, there needs to be an emphasis on conducting studies which further refine our understanding of these relationships. This can help to structure effective youth cancer services. Generic informational resources and support services should be tailored so that they have relevance to the young person's life context. The treating team has an important role in fostering young patients' ability to make sense of their experiences by providing developmentally-relevant psychosocial support.

Purpose To conduct a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies exploring experiences of young cancer patients to identify the overarching concepts that inform future service and research directions. Method A systematic literature search was conducted, and 51 articles published between January 2004 and March 2014 were collected via CINAHL, Medline and PsycINFO databases. Deductive thematic analysis was conducted to identify major themes, guided by Hermeneutic notions on interpretation. Results Cancer impacted a wide range of life domains. These impacts were interconnected and bi-directional. The meanings of these impacts were closely related to their unique developmental needs and a social position as youth. Emotional struggles during these radical changes were evident, but efforts to make sense of their experiences and find meaning pervaded. Conclusions Given the interrelated nature of the cancer challenges young cancer patients experience, there needs to be an emphasis on conducting studies which further refine our understanding of these relationships. This can help to structure effective youth cancer services. Generic informational resources and support services should be tailored so that they have relevance to the young person's life context. The treating team has an important role in fostering young patients' ability to make sense of their experiences by providing developmentally-relevant psychosocial support.

Pandora Patterson,1,2 Fiona EJ McDonald,1,2 Antoinette Anazodo,3 Daniel SJ Costa,4 Claire E Wakefield,5,6 Kate White,2 Kate Thompson,7 Michael P Osborn8 1Research, Evaluation and Social Policy, CanTeen Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Cancer Nursing Research Unit, Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Sydney Children's Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 4Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research group, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 5School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia; 6Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia; 7Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia; 8Youth Cancer Service SA/NT, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia Background: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer commonly experience elevated levels of distress. Routinely administered distress screening tools can be effective in identifying individuals in need of referral to psychosocial services. The distress thermometer and problem checklist are widely used screening tools that have been validated among some cancer populations, but which have not to date been validated for use among AYAs with cancer. The primary aim of this study is to validate the distress thermometer and a modified problem checklist for use with AYA cancer patients, aged 15–25 years. Specifically, we aim to 1) determine appropriate cutoffs for clinical referral on the distress thermometer; 2) investigate the content validity of the modified problem checklist; and 3) assess the clinical utility of the tool from the perspectives of both patients and health care professionals. The secondary aims of the study are to 4) establish prevalence and predictors of distress in AYA cancer patie

Claire E Wakefield,1,2 Pandora Patterson,3 Fiona E J McDonald,3 Helen L Wilson,1,2 Esther Davis,3 Ursula M Sansom-Daly2,41School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Centre for Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3CanTeen, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 4School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaPurpose: Given the burgeoning body of research relating to the psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, this review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and appropriateness of the instruments available for use in this unique population. Specifically, we reviewed published instruments developed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of recurrence), psychological growth (resilience, posttraumatic growth, and benefit finding), unmet needs, coping, quality of life, identity, and mindfulness-based practices and skills in AYAs with cancer. Given the dearth of validated instruments targeting AYAs with cancer, this review also provides a summary of promising measures yet to be formally validated in this population.Methods: Five electronic databases were searched by a team of six researchers, and studies involving AYAs (who have or have had cancer) aged 15–30 years, and published between 1982 and 2012 were reviewed. Of 410 abstracts, 7 instruments were identified as validated in this population, with a further 19 identified as promising.Results: While there are numerous scales to assess psychosocial outcomes in cancer, few have been specifically validated for AYAs affected by cancer, particularly in the domains of psychological distress, psychological growth, coping, unmet needs, and identity. There are relatively more instruments validated, or promising, for assessment of quality of life than scales for other domains.Conclus

Given the burgeoning body of research relating to the psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, this review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and appropriateness of the instruments available for use in this unique population. Specifically, we reviewed published instruments developed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of recurrence), psychological growth (resilience, posttraumatic growth, and benefit finding), unmet needs, coping, quality of life, identity, and mindfulness-based practices and skills in AYAs with cancer. Given the dearth of validated instruments targeting AYAs with cancer, this review also provides a summary of promising measures yet to be formally validated in this population.