Optimizing Rural People's Access to Relevant Cancer Education and Support Using Peer-Led YouTube Films

Development of a Digital Storytelling Intervention to Increase Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screening in the Hispanic/Latino Community: a Qualitative Evaluation

Digital storytelling (DST) interventions may be one way to address disparities in cancer screening experienced by the Hispanic/Latino population. Digital stories are short, first-person narratives that include voice-over narration and images. With storytellers' permission, researchers can screen digital stories as a health intervention. Digital stories can inspire viewers to adopt or change their behavior, such as completing cancer screening. Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (a 20-year community-based participatory research partnership) together with eight Hispanic/Latino, Spanish speaking cancer survivors, co-survivors, or recently screened individuals, developed digital stories about breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. Here, we describe our qualitative evaluation of the DST workshop. To understand what the storytellers thought viewers would find relatable in their digital stories, we applied Narrative Theory. We also assessed workshop successes and opportunities for improvement. We used the constant comparative method for data analysis. We learned that the storytellers anticipated their stories would be engaging and that viewers would connect with Hispanic/Latino cultural values. During the workshop, the storytellers felt like they were making an important contribution. The storytellers highlighted specific opportunities for improvement including sharing the stories more quickly after the workshop. Future research is needed to test whether this intervention follows the Narrative Theory causal pathway by persuading viewers to complete recommended cancer screenings.

The experience of bereaved cancer carers in rural and regional areas: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential of peer support

BACKGROUND

Caring for someone with cancer during end of life care can be a challenging and complex experience. Those living in rural and regional areas are less likely to have local healthcare services and may be physically isolated. Even where support services such as respite do exist, they may be less likely to be accessed due to the time burden in travelling to services. This was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM

To understand the potential benefits of peer support for bereaved carers of people with cancer from rural and regional locations during the COVID-19 period.

METHODS

Phone interviews were conducted with bereaved cancer carers living in rural and regional areas in Victoria. Semi-structured interviews were used, and participants were asked about their experience as a carer, bereavement and the potential for peer support. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim; transcripts were coded and a thematic analysis was conducted.

FINDINGS

12 interviews were conducted. Carers were mostly female (85%) and were on average 58 years of age (range 42-71). Interviews lasted an average of 58 minutes (range 53-91 minutes). Three themes were derived from the data; 1) Supportive care needs while caring and the impact of COVID-19; 2) Isolation during bereavement compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic; and 3) Peer support requires flexibility to meet diverse needs.

CONCLUSION

Peer support has potential to assist bereaved carers of people with cancer. A co-design approach may be beneficial for developing a flexible model for supporting and linking carers together.

Radionuclide Therapy Videos on YouTube as An Educational Material: Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Quality, Usefulness, and Interaction Features

Introduction

Current treatment approach aims to achieve greater efficacy with fewer side effects, by targeted cancer therapy as much as possible. Radionuclide therapy is a modality that uses cancer theranostics and is increasingly applied for various cancers as a targeted therapy. YouTube is a preferred tool for obtaining medical information from the internet. This study aims to determine the content quality, level of interaction and usefulness as education material of radionuclide therapy YouTube videos and to reveal the impact of the COVID-19 process on these parameters.

Materials and Methods

The keywords were searched on YouTube on August 25, 2018, and May 10, 2021. After removing duplicate and excluded videos, all remaining videos were scored and coded.

Results

Majority of the videos were useful educational material. Most of them were high quality. Popularity markers were unrelated to quality level. After COVID, the power index of videos with high JAMA scores increased. The COVID-19 pandemic did not have a negative effect on video features; the quality of the content increased even more after the pandemic.

Conclusion

Radionuclide therapy YouTube videos have high-quality content and provide useful education material. The popularity is independent of the content quality. During the pandemic, video quality and usefulness characteristics did not change, while the visibility is increased. We consider YouTube to be an appropriate educational material for patients and healthcare professionals to gain basic knowledge of radionuclide therapy. The Covıd-19 pandemic highlighted the power of radionuclide therapy YouTube videos as an educational material.

Caring for someone with cancer in rural Australia

PURPOSE

To explore the experiences of people caring for someone with cancer, while living in rural Australia, and the impact of the cancer-caring role on their well-being.

METHOD

Eighteen adults in regional or remote ('rural') Australia who cared for a person with cancer took part in semi-structured telephone interviews. Participants were aged 32-77 years and mainly female (66%). Data were analysed using thematic analysis and an essentialist approach.

RESULTS

Eight themes were identified: (1) travel is hard, but supports are available; (2) frustration with systems that do not demonstrate understanding of the rural context; (3) the importance of lay and peer support; (4) the impact of access to trusted, local health care services; (5) the importance of access to rurally relevant information (particularly on relevant services and what to expect); (6) living with uncertainty and balancing loss with hope; (7) reluctance to seek or accept psychological support; and (8) the gendered nature of care.

CONCLUSION

Rural cancer carers' roles can be made easier by improving health systems and coordination to ease the burden of travel, providing information about available support and what to expect throughout cancer treatment that is relevant to the rural context, and increasing access to quality health, community, and support services, including palliative care, in rural areas. More training on the specific needs of rural patients and their carers is needed for urban health care professionals. Peer support groups may have particular value for cancer carers in rural settings, where there are known to be multiple barriers to accessing professional sources of psychosocial support.

Information needs and preferences among rural cancer survivors in Queensland, Australia: a qualitative examination

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to understand how cancer survivors in rural Queensland seek and receive information, as well as their preferences regarding the content and delivery of health-related information.

METHODS

This study explored cancer survivors' experiences in seeking and comprehending health information using a qualitative descriptive approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Two major themes and six sub-themes were identified including 1) information content and gaps - a) information about diagnosis and treatment, b) survivorship information gaps and c) practical support needs and 2) delivery and acceptance of information - a) sources of information, b) personalised information needs and c) information seeking or avoidance. Findings suggested that health information provision was inconsistent; survivors' attitudes towards seeking information varied greatly; and survivors' had difficulty processing information due to emotional distress.

CONCLUSION

The role of the health professional is critical in providing information and support to rural cancer survivors. Information provided should be tailored to meet the needs and preferences of individuals taking into consideration demographic factors and attitudes. Implications for public health: The current findings imply that quality information provision after cancer treatment would facilitate improvements in satisfaction among rural cancer survivors.