Status:
The iP2P Cancer mentor training took place July 2016 and recruitment has begun. Next steps would be to complete the pilot randomized controlled trial study and conduct a definitive trial.
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Stinson
Co-Investigators: Paul Nathan, Abha Gupta, Maru Barrerra, Lindsay Jibb, Sara Ahola Kohut
Funded by: Canadian Cancer Society; 2015-2017
Background: Adolescents with cancer experience many negative effects of cancer, both physical (pain, nausea) and emotional (anxiety, depression). To achieve the best possible health outcomes, these adolescents must engage in self-management and develop skills to transition to adult care. Developing these skills is complicated and, to do so, adolescents may benefit from support from older adolescents and young adults who have learned to function well with cancer. Additionally, if this peer support is provided remotely via Skype, the number of adolescents who can benefit from the support increases. In response, our group will develop and test the iPeer2Peer (iP2P) cancer support program.
Objective: To develop and examine the impact of a Cancer iP2P Support Program on Health Related Quality of Life of adolescents with cancer.
Procedure: The current project will be a pilot study, involving 40 adolescents with cancer (20 will receive VP2P mentorship from a cancer survivor over 10 weeks and 20 will not receive VP2P immediately), to: (a) test the feasibility of conducting a large VP2P study; and (b) begin to examine how effective VP2P is at helping adolescents. The pilot study will help us to refine the program and inform the methodology and calculate the sample size for a definitive multi-site RCT.