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Calligan M, Chakkalackal L, Dadzie G, Tardif-Theriault C, Cook S, Vettese E, Soman D, Kuczynski S, Schechter T, Dupuis LL, Sung L. Feasibility of three times weekly symptom screening in pediatric cancer patients. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:4. [PMID: 36597030 PMCID: PMC9809057 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10400-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Primary objective was to determine the feasibility of three times weekly symptom reporting by pediatric cancer patients for eight weeks. METHODS We included English-speaking patients 8-18 years of age with cancer. Patients were sent reminders by text or email to complete Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) three times weekly for eight weeks. When patients reported at least one severely bothersome symptom, the symptom report was emailed to the primary healthcare team. Patient-reported outcomes were obtained at baseline, week 4 ± 1 and week 8 ± 1. Symptom documentation, intervention provision for symptoms and unplanned healthcare encounters were determined by chart review at weeks 4 and 8. The primary endpoint was feasibility, defined as at least 75% patients achieving adherence with at least 60% of SSPedi evaluations. We planned to enroll successive cohorts until this threshold was met. RESULTS Two cohorts consisting of 30 patients (cohort 1 (n = 20) and cohort 2 (n = 10)) were required to meet the feasibility threshold. In cohort 1, 11/20 (55%) met the SSPedi completion threshold. Interventions applied after cohort 1 included engaging parents to facilitate pediatric patient self-report, offering mechanisms to remember username and password and highlighting potential benefits of symptom feedback to clinicians. In cohort 2, 9/10 (90%) met the SSPedi completion threshold and thus feasibility was met. Patient-reported outcomes and chart review outcomes were obtained for all participants in cohort 2. CONCLUSIONS Three times weekly symptom reporting by pediatric patients with cancer for eight weeks was feasible. Mechanisms to enhance three times weekly symptom reporting were identified and implemented. Future studies of longitudinal symptom screening can now be planned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryann Calligan
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Lauren Chakkalackal
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Grace Dadzie
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Cassandra Tardif-Theriault
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Sadie Cook
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Emily Vettese
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada
| | - Dilip Soman
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, 105 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6 Canada
| | - Susan Kuczynski
- Ontario Parents Advocating for Children with Cancer (OPACC), 99 Citation Drive, Toronto, ON M2K 1S9 Canada
| | - Tal Schechter
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8 Canada
| | - L. Lee Dupuis
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Pharmacy, The Hospital for Sick Children, and Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8 Canada
| | - Lillian Sung
- grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Program in Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4 Canada ,grid.42327.300000 0004 0473 9646Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8 Canada
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Tomlinson D, Plenert E, Dadzie G, Loves R, Cook S, Schechter T, Furtado J, Dupuis LL, Sung L. Discordance between pediatric self-report and parent proxy-report symptom scores and creation of a dyad symptom screening tool (co-SSPedi). Cancer Med 2020; 9:5526-5534. [PMID: 32567173 PMCID: PMC7402841 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) (age 8-18 years) and mini-SSPedi (age 4-7 years) can be used to self-report and proxy-report bothersome symptoms in pediatric patients receiving cancer treatments. There are limitations of sole child self-report or proxy-report. An approach in which children and parents complete symptom reports together may be useful. The aim of our study was to describe discordance between child self-report and parent proxy-report symptom scores, and to determine how these scores compare to an approach in which reporting is performed together (co-SSPedi). Children and parents completed SSPedi or mini-SSPedi separately. Discordant symptoms were shared with respondents and discussed. Next, the dyad completed co-SSPedi together and were asked which approach they preferred. Discordance was evaluated for each symptom and was defined as a difference of at least 2 points on an ordinal scale ranging from 0 (not at all bothered) to 4 (extremely bothered). Of the 48 enrolled dyads (children, median age, 10.8 years; 54.2% male), 41 (85.4%) had discordance in at least one symptom. There was no clear pattern in discordance by age group. When a dyad approach was used, more co-SSPedi scores agreed with the original child self-report scores (59 dyads, 56.2%) compared to original parent proxy-report scores (15 dyads, 14.3%) for discordant symptoms. Forty-three (89.6%) dyads preferred to complete SSPedi together. Future work should evaluate the psychometric properties of co-SSPedi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Tomlinson
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erin Plenert
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Grace Dadzie
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robyn Loves
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sadie Cook
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tal Schechter
- Division of Haematology and Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Furtado
- Division of Haematology and Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L Lee Dupuis
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pharmacy, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lillian Sung
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Haematology and Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Dadzie G, Aziato L, Aikins ADG. "We are the best to stand in for patients": a qualitative study on nurses' advocacy characteristics in Ghana. BMC Nurs 2017; 16:61. [PMID: 29162984 PMCID: PMC5686914 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-017-0259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patient advocacy has been identified as a core duty of the nurse, and certain nurse characteristics influence the performance of the role. However, these characteristics have not been adequately explored in Ghana. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of nurses about the characteristics of nurses that influence their role as patient advocates. Methods An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was conducted among 15 nurses from a regional hospital in Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select participants and individual in-depth interviews were conducted in English using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Data analysis was done concurrently employing the principles of thematic analysis. Ethical approval was obtained for the study from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research and the Ghana Health Service Ethical Review Committee. Results Themes generated revealed nurse traits which enhanced the advocacy role of nurses such as being empathetic, nurturing, ethical, assertive and persistent and nurse states which hindered the performance of the role such as fatigue and frustration. However, “compassionate” emerged as an additional nurse trait from this study. Out of empathy, participants availed themselves for patients to share their problems with them. In their nurturing roles, spending more time with patients and providing personal care fostered closeness which helped in identifying patients’ problems. Helping patients navigate the health system was also found. They perceived patient advocacy as a moral responsibility and identified good communication skills and determination to help patients get their problems solved as important in patient advocacy. Some participants also described compassion-based activities such as pleading on patients’ behalf, providing material and financial assistance, facilitating care and providing emotional support in their advocacy. However, heavy workload and lack of appreciation from patients were found to hinder the performance of the advocacy role. Conclusions We concluded that nurse characteristics that influence patient advocacy are comparable to those identified internationally such as being empathetic, assertiveness and fatigue. Enhancing these characteristics could help nurses overcome the negative states that undermine the patient advocacy role of nurses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Dadzie
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 43, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Lydia Aziato
- Department of Adult Health, School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 43, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ama de-Graft Aikins
- Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 96, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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