Design and methods of a randomized web-based physical activity intervention among children with cancer: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

Authors

Megan E. Ware, Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America.
Nina S. Kadan-Lottick, Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Center, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Meenakshi Devidas, Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America.
Sarah Terrell, Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America.
Eric J. Chow, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, United States of America.
Matthew J. Ehrhardt, Oncology Department, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America.
Kristina K. Hardy, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States of America.
Wassim Chemaitilly, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America.
Wendy Hein, Children's Mercy, Kansas City, MO, United States of America.
Naomi Winick, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States of America.
David Teachey, Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
Adam Esbenshade, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States of America.
Saro H. Armenian, Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States of America.
Robyn E. Partin, Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America.
Kirsten K. Ness, Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States of America. Electronic address: kiri.ness@stjude.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

10-10-2022

Journal

Contemporary clinical trials

Volume

122

DOI

10.1016/j.cct.2022.106961

Keywords

Childhood cancer survivors; Physical activity; Rewards-based; Web-based

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Promoting physical activity soon after treatment for childhood cancer may benefit health because sedentary lifestyle during curative therapy may perpetuate physical and emotional complications. The primary goals of this study are to evaluate the effects of a 6-month web-based, rewards-based physical activity intervention on fitness, biomarkers of cardiometabolic health, inflammation, adipokine status, quality of life and school attendance, and determine if effect of intervention on markers of cardiometabolic health is mediated by changes in fitness. The primary outcome of interest is fitness (physiological cost index, six-minute walk test) measured at end of intervention. METHODS: This ongoing study is a two-arm, prospective, randomized design with accrual goals of 192 children for intervention and control groups. Children ≥8 years and < 16 years of age, not meeting recommended levels of physical activity, who completed therapy within the past 12 months are eligible. Both groups receive: 1) educational materials encouraging physical activity, 2) activity monitor, 3) access to web-based interface designed to motivate physical activity, 4) rewards based on physical activity levels, and 5) access to their activity data on the web-interface. Those randomized to intervention: 1) can view others' activity and interact with other participants, and 2) receive rewards based on physical activity levels throughout the intervention (vs. at the end of the intervention for control group). CONCLUSION: Unique, scalable, and portable physical activity interventions that motivate young survivors are needed. This study will inform future web-based physical activity interventions for children with cancer by demonstrating effects of rewards and social interaction. CLINICAL TRIALS: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03223753; COG Identifier: ALTE1631.

Department

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Share

COinS