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eHealth tools for childhood cancer survivorship care: A qualitative analysis of survivors’, parents’, and general practitioners’ views.
  • +8
  • Maria Schaffer,
  • Jordana McLoone,
  • Claire Wakefield,
  • Mary-Ellen Brierley,
  • Afaf Girgis,
  • Maria McCarthy,
  • Elysia Thornton-Benko,
  • Raymond Chan,
  • Karen Johnston,
  • Richard Cohn,
  • Christina Signorelli
Maria Schaffer
University of New South Wales - Kensington Campus

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jordana McLoone
University of New South Wales
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Claire Wakefield
University of NSW
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Mary-Ellen Brierley
University of New South Wales
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Afaf Girgis
University of New South Wales
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Maria McCarthy
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
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Elysia Thornton-Benko
Bondi Road Doctors
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Raymond Chan
Queensland University of Technology
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Karen Johnston
Sydney Children's Hospital Randwick
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Richard Cohn
Sydney Children's Hospital
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Christina Signorelli
Sydney Children's Hospital
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Abstract

Purpose: The long-term management of childhood cancer survivors is complex. Electronic health (eHealth) technology has the potential to significantly improve the management of late effects for childhood cancer survivors and assist their General Practitioners (GP) to coordinate their care. We assessed the acceptability of and perceived benefits and barriers to eHealth use amongst survivors, parents, and GPs. Methods: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with survivors of childhood cancer, parents of childhood cancer survivors and their nominated GP. We described a hypothetical eHealth tool and asked participants how likely they would use the tool to manage their survivorship care and their perceived benefits and concerns for use of the tool. We used content analysis to synthesise the data using QSR NVivo12. Results: We interviewed 31 survivors (mean age: 27.0), 29 parents (survivors’ mean age: 12.6) and 51 GPs (mean years practising: 28.2). Eighty-five percent of survivors and parents (n=51), and 75% of GPs (n=38) indicated that they would be willing to use an eHealth tool. Survivors and parents reported that an eHealth tool would increase their confidence in their ability, and their GP’s ability, to manage their survivorship care. GPs agreed that an eHealth tool would provide easier access to survivors’ medical information and increase their capacity to provide support during survivorship. 7% of GPs (n= 4) and 43% of survivors (n=26) reported being hesitant to use eHealth tools due to privacy/security concerns. Conclusion: Overall, eHealth tools were reported to be acceptable to childhood cancer survivors, their parents, and their GPs.
Dec 2022Published in PEC Innovation volume 1 on pages 100010. 10.1016/j.pecinn.2021.100010