- Title
- Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of proactive web-based versus telephone-based information and support: can electronic platforms deliver effective care for lung cancer patients?
- Creator
- Paul, Christine L.; Boyes, Allison W.; Cox, Martine E.; Fradgley, Elizabeth A.; Baird, Hannah; Barker, Daniel; O'Brien, Lorna; Baker, Amanda L.; Henskens, Frans A.; Roos , Ian; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Bellamy, Douglas; Colburn, Glenda; Rose , Shiho
- Relation
- NHMRC.1073031 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1073031 1112983 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1112983
- Relation
- JMIR Research Protocols Vol. 5, Issue 4, no. e202
- Relation
- https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6248
- Publisher
- JMIR
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2016
- Description
- Background: Community-based services such as telephone support lines can provide valuable informational, emotional, and practical support for cancer patients via telephone- or Web-based (live chat or email) platforms. However, very little rigorous research has examined the efficacy of such services in improving patient outcomes. Objective: This study will determine whether: proactive telephone or Web-delivered support produces outcomes superior to printed information; and Web-delivered support produces outcomes comparable to telephone support. Methods: A consecutive sample of 501 lung cancer outpatients will be recruited from 50 Australian health services to participate in a patient-randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible individuals must: be 18 years or older; have received a lung cancer diagnosis (including mesothelioma) within the previous 4 months; have an approximate life expectancy of at least 6 months; and have Internet access. Participants will be randomly allocated to receive: (1) an information booklet, (2) proactive telephone support, or (3) proactive Web support, chat, and/or email. The primary patient outcomes will be measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Health Education and Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) at 3 and 6 months post recruitment. The acceptability of proactive recruitment strategies will also be assessed. Results: It is hypothesized that participants receiving telephone or Web support will report reduced distress (GHQ-12 scores that are 0.3 standard deviations (SD) lower) and greater self-efficacy (heiQ scores that are 0.3 SDs higher) than participants receiving booklets. Individuals receiving Web support will report heiQ scores within 0.29 SDs of individuals receiving telephone support. Conclusions: If proven effective, electronic approaches such as live-chat and email have the potential to increase the accessibility and continuity of supportive care delivered by community-based services. This evidence may also inform the redesigning of helpline-style services to be effective and responsive to patient needs.
- Subject
- health information; lunch cancer; telephone counseling; psychological distress; randomized controlled trial; telemedicine
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1417203
- Identifier
- uon:37175
- Identifier
- ISSN:1929-0748
- Rights
- This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Research Protocols, is properly cited.
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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