Individual Abstract within a Delegate Designed Symposium Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2023

Online peer support for young cancer survivors, and their parents, in community settings: Learnings from the Recapture Life and Cascade implementation trials (#136)

Ursula M Sansom-Daly 1 2 3 , Lauren Kelada 1 2 , Holly E Evans 1 2 , Kate Hetherington 1 2 , Brittany C McGill 1 2 , Jessica Buster 1 2 , Eden Robertson 1 2 4 , Annette Beattie 5 , Kirsty Ross 6 , Nicole Schleicher 4 , Fatima S Espinoza-Salgado 7 8 , Lynda Hill 9 , Richard J Cohn 1 2 , Claire E Wakefield 1 2
  1. School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia
  2. Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  3. Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Prince of Wales/Sydney Children's Hospitals, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  4. Services and Impact Department, Redkite, Sydney , NSW, Australia
  5. Cancer Information and Support Services Division, Cancer Council NSW, Woolloomooloo, NSW, Australia
  6. Psychology Clinic, School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
  7. Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
  8. Oncology Service, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City, Mexico
  9. Family Support Team, The Joshua Tree, Cheshire, United Kingdom

Introduction

Following cancer treatment, both adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, and parents of child cancer survivors, face numerous psychological challenges. Few rigorously-evaluated, skills-based psychological support programs exist, and are accessible, in Australia. To address this need, we designed two online, cognitive-behavioural therapy interventions, delivered in videoconferencing groups with peers: ‘Recapture Life’ for AYA survivors, and Cascade for parents of young people under 18. Following Phase-II trials to establish Recapture Life(1-3) and Cascade’s(4-5) feasibility, acceptability, safety, and impact on coping, we implemented both interventions in partnership with several community-based cancer support organisations [delivery-partners]. 

Method

We evaluated the community implementation of Recapture Life and Cascade using implementation-effectiveness trials with pre-post participant assessments, guided by the RE-AIM framework. AYAs aged 13-40 received the Recapture Life intervention through our delivery-partners, Canteen or Country Hope for AYAs aged 13-25 years (younger version: ‘Recapture Life’), and Cancer Council NSW for 25-40-year-olds (older version: ‘Reclaim Life’). Cascade was integrated within five delivery-partners across four countries (Australia, New Zealand, UK, and Mexico). In both trials, we undertook local adaptation of the manualised interventions, then trained deliver-partner staff to facilitate/deliver both interventions. We interviewed delivery-partner staff to assess their intervention-delivery confidence, perceived barriers/facilitators to implementation, recruitment experiences, and financial sustainability.

Results

This talk will highlight ‘lessons learned’ through both implementation trials, and implications for community-based intervention delivery. In the Recapture Life trial, we delivered eleven experiential training sessions to 19 staff, with 41 AYAs participating in online groups. In the Cascade trial, nine staff delivered Cascade to 35 parents, with 77% completion. Both interventions were well-received and experienced some common challenges to implementation (e.g., the pandemic, prolonged site-specific approvals).

Discussion

Integrating online interventions within trusted cancer community organisations, in Australia and internationally, can sustainably and feasibly broaden AYAs’ and parents’ access to support after cancer treatment completion.

  1. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., McGill, B. C., & Patterson, P. (2015). Ethical and clinical challenges in delivering group-based cognitive-behavioural therapy to adolescents and young adults with cancer using videoconferencing technology. Australian Psychologist, 50(4), 271-278. doi:10.1111/ap.12112
  2. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., Bryant, R. A., Patterson, P., Anazodo, A., Butow, P., . . . Cohn, R. J. (2019). Feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the Recapture Life videoconferencing intervention for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 28(2), 284-292. doi:10.1002/pon.4938
  3. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., Ellis, S. J., McGill, B. C., Donoghoe, M. W., Butow, P., . . . The Recapture Life Working Party. (2021). Online, Group-Based Psychological Support for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Results from the Recapture Life Randomized Trial. Cancers, 13(10), 2460.
  4. Wakefield, C. E., Sansom-Daly, U. M., McGill, B. C., Ellis, S. J., Doolan, E. L., Robertson, E. G., . . . Cohn, R. J. (2016). Acceptability and feasibility of an e-mental health intervention for parents of childhood cancer survivors:“Cascade”. Supportive Care in Cancer, 24(6), 2685-2694.
  5. Wakefield, C. E., Sansom-Daly, U. M., McGill, B. C., Hetherington, K., Ellis, S. J., Robertson, E. G., . . . Cohn, R. J. (2021). Providing Psychological Support to Parents of Childhood Cancer Survivors: ‘Cascade’ Intervention Trial Results and Lessons for the Future. Cancers, 13(22), 5597.