Title: Does an interactive child-centred workshop reduce treatment-related distress and improve quality of life in children with leukaemia?
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Background The aggressiveness of treatment for most childhood cancers remains associated with many adverse effects. When children enter a hospital they are exposed to unfamiliar people, medical equipment and language which they associate with pain and distress. Young cancer patients often express the need to be fully informed about their illness. Previously we developed a workshop (SPARC (Science Presented through Art, Riddles and Creativity)), to help children with cancer understand the changes they are going through. The workshop used a number of interactive puzzles to approach 7 themes, including anatomy, nutrition, movement, circulation, cells and senses. Feedback given by both adults and the children was very positive. Now we propose a formal assessment of the effectiveness of such intervention. Aims To determine the impact of the child-centred, interactive SPARC workshop on emotional and behavioural distress and quality of life in children treated for acute leukaemia and their parents, when compared with similar children and their families who have not yet received this intervention (waiting list control) in both the short and medium term. The role of the following potential process variables: a) cancer-specific illness beliefs; b) parent-child communication; c) self-efficacy and d) parental burden in moderating the effects of the workshop will also be determined. Plan of Investigation Children (7-12 years) treated for leukaemia at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, will be randomised to two groups. The treatment group will be assessed before (week 1) and immediately after the workshop (week 6), and then 12 weeks later (week 18) and at 6 months. The control group (delayed treatment) will be assessed at week 1, week 6, and week 18. From Week 19 controls will receive the workshop, and be assessed immediately afterwards, and at 12 weeks and 6 months. Standardised questionnaires will be used to measure the effect of the workshop on children’s anxiety, quality of life and self-efficacy as well as parental confidence and parental caregiving. Children, parents and teachers will complete a strengths and difficulties questionnaire. Potential Impact SPARC is a child-centred educational programme for children with cancer which aims to reduce stress and anxiety related to cancer treatment for both children and their families. The workshop is designed to be fun and interactive and to provide an environment that allows patients, parents and siblings to gain more understanding of human biology and cancer. If such a workshop is able to improve the quality of life for children and their families during and after treatment for leukaemia then similar workshops could be devised to deal with other types of childhood cancer and even other life-limiting childhood illnesses. Such workshops could potentially be delivered on a peripatetic basis to numbers of hospitals in a region as often as patient numbers demanded.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: CANCER AND NEOPLASMS