Integrated Experiential Training Program With Coaching by Nursing Students in Childhood Cancer Patients

Summary

Background: Despite the evidence that regular physical activity can have beneficial effects on the physical and psychological well-being of cancer patients, a review of the literature reveals that a majority of young cancer patients fail to attain the same levels of physical activity that they had before contracting the disease. There is scientific evidence that physical inactivity induces muscle catabolism and atrophy and cardiovascular diseases, which may lead to a further increase in fatigue and a decrease in the functional capacity of cancer patients. Empirical evidence is needed to explore an appropriate strategy for promoting physical activity in such patients.

Purposes: To examine the effectiveness of an integrated experiential training program with coaching by nursing students in promoting regular physical activity, reducing fatigue and enhancing quality of life among Hong Kong Chinese childhood cancer patients.

Design and Subjects: A randomised controlled trial (RCT), two-group pre-test and repeated post-test, within and between subjects design will be conducted. Recruitment of subjects will be carried out in a paediatric oncology ward of a Hong Kong acute care hospital.

Intervention: Participants in the experimental group will join an integrated experiential training program with coaching by nursing students, which contains 28 home visits by a designated nursing student as a coach for a 6-month period. Those in the placebo control group will receive an amount of time and attention (home visits by research assistants) that mimics that received by the experimental group.

Conditions

• Child
• Neoplasms

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

an integrated experiential training program with coaching

The intervention will be implemented to each participant by a designated coach who is a trained nursing student during 28 home visits throughout a 6-month period (24 weeks) and each visit will last for about 1 hour. The 1-hour program consists of a 30-minute English tutorial session, and a 30-minute physical activity session with the coach. The same coach will pay a visit to a participant at twice a week for the first 4 weeks and then once a week for the subsequent 20 weeks. 4 levels of physical activity will be taught to the participants gradually according to their ability.

BEHAVIORAL

Placebo Control

When discharged home, participants will receive an amount of time and attention (home visits by research assistants) that mimicked that received by the experimental group, but which is thought not to have any specific effect on the outcome measures. The placebo activities during the home visits may include playing cards or chess games, health advice on the prevention of influenza and healthy diet which will be conducted for 30 minutes.The participants will also receive a 30-minute English tutorial session with the research assistants in each home visit.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ho Cheung William Li · The University of Hong Kong

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

9 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-05-31

Primary Completion

2017-08-31

Completion

2017-11-30

Countries

• China

Study Locations