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Age-appropriate preparations for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy : A feasibility study

Gårdling, Jenny LU ; Törnqvist, Erna LU ; Månsson, Marie Edwinson LU and Hallström, Inger Kristensson LU (2017) In Journal of Child Health Care 21(4). p.370-380
Abstract

The aim of this study was to test age-appropriate information and preparation procedures for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for feasibility and effectiveness in terms of the need for general anesthesia (GA) and anxiety. In a quasi-experimental controlled clinical trial, 17 children aged 3–18 years receiving age-appropriate preparation were compared with 16 children in a control group. Feasibility in terms of recruitment, compliance, and acceptability was assessed. Effectiveness was assessed by the number of children who underwent treatment without GA and their respective fractions and validated instruments measured the children’s anxiety and emotional behavior. The preparation parts were delivered as intended without... (More)

The aim of this study was to test age-appropriate information and preparation procedures for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for feasibility and effectiveness in terms of the need for general anesthesia (GA) and anxiety. In a quasi-experimental controlled clinical trial, 17 children aged 3–18 years receiving age-appropriate preparation were compared with 16 children in a control group. Feasibility in terms of recruitment, compliance, and acceptability was assessed. Effectiveness was assessed by the number of children who underwent treatment without GA and their respective fractions and validated instruments measured the children’s anxiety and emotional behavior. The preparation parts were delivered as intended without any additional personnel and without dropouts in the intervention group (IG) and therefore found feasible and acceptable. No statistic significances were found concerning the number of children receiving GA or anxiety. However, three children planned for GA in the IG completed their treatments, including 73 fractions awake. Children receiving GA, regardless of group, showed significantly higher negative emotional behavior. Giving children individualized preparation may decrease the need for GA during RT, which gives benefits in terms of fewer risks and restrictions in life for the child and lower costs for health care.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anxiety, cancer, pediatric, preparation, radiotherapy
in
Journal of Child Health Care
volume
21
issue
4
pages
11 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85034748377
  • pmid:29110518
  • wos:000415950500002
ISSN
1367-4935
DOI
10.1177/1367493517727070
project
Children with cancer
LUC3 - Lund University Child Centered Care
Hospital-based Home Care for children with long-term illness
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d664f057-22cc-42eb-86f7-773439a10204
date added to LUP
2017-12-12 07:50:38
date last changed
2024-05-27 05:05:24
@article{d664f057-22cc-42eb-86f7-773439a10204,
  abstract     = {{<p>The aim of this study was to test age-appropriate information and preparation procedures for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for feasibility and effectiveness in terms of the need for general anesthesia (GA) and anxiety. In a quasi-experimental controlled clinical trial, 17 children aged 3–18 years receiving age-appropriate preparation were compared with 16 children in a control group. Feasibility in terms of recruitment, compliance, and acceptability was assessed. Effectiveness was assessed by the number of children who underwent treatment without GA and their respective fractions and validated instruments measured the children’s anxiety and emotional behavior. The preparation parts were delivered as intended without any additional personnel and without dropouts in the intervention group (IG) and therefore found feasible and acceptable. No statistic significances were found concerning the number of children receiving GA or anxiety. However, three children planned for GA in the IG completed their treatments, including 73 fractions awake. Children receiving GA, regardless of group, showed significantly higher negative emotional behavior. Giving children individualized preparation may decrease the need for GA during RT, which gives benefits in terms of fewer risks and restrictions in life for the child and lower costs for health care.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gårdling, Jenny and Törnqvist, Erna and Månsson, Marie Edwinson and Hallström, Inger Kristensson}},
  issn         = {{1367-4935}},
  keywords     = {{Anxiety; cancer; pediatric; preparation; radiotherapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{370--380}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Journal of Child Health Care}},
  title        = {{Age-appropriate preparations for children with cancer undergoing radiotherapy : A feasibility study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1367493517727070}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1367493517727070}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}