Lee, J.Y., Park, H.Y., Jung, D., Moon, M., Keam, B., & Hahm, B.J. (2014). Effect of brief psychoeducation using a tablet PC on distress and quality of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A pilot study. Psycho‐Oncology, 23, 928–935.
DOI Link
Study Purpose
To examine the benefits of a single-session psychoeducational intervention using a tablet PC during chemotherapy
Intervention Characteristics/Basic Study Process
Patients were assigned to intervention or control groups according to their dates of informed consent rather than strict randomization. Study measures were obtained at baseline and two to four weeks later. The study group was given a single-session psychoeducational intervention using a tablet PC to administer the education.
Sample Characteristics
- N = 19 (intervention), 17 (control)
- AVERAGE AGE = 57.5 years
- MALES: 45%, FEMALES: 55%
- KEY DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy
- OTHER KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: The majority of participants were married and were diagnosed with stage IV cancer with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 1. All participants scored 11 or more on anxiety and depression scales.
Setting
- SITE: Single-site
- SETTING TYPE: Outpatient
- LOCATION: Seoul, South Korea
Phase of Care and Clinical Applications
- PHASE OF CARE: Active antitumor treatment
- APPLICATIONS: Elder care, palliative care
Study Design
Two-group trial
Measurement Instruments/Methods
- Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
- Short Form-8 Health Survey (SF-8)
- Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
- Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R)
Results
Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed a positive score change on the HADS scale. The mental component summary score of the SF-8, the IES-R avoidance subscale, the ISI, and the total score of the HADS scale were the following. HADS (p = .0002), SF-8 (p = .011), ISI (p = .021), and IES-R (p = .036) declined from baseline more in the intervention group. Scores did decline in both groups.
Conclusions
A tablet-based, 20-minute psychoeducational intervention could be an effective intervention for managing depression, sleep disturbance, and quality of life.
Limitations
- Small sample (< 100)
- Risk of bias (no random assignment)
- Risk of bias (sample characteristics)
- Key sample group differences that could influence results
- Intervention expensive, impractical, or training needs
- Other limitations/explanation: Patients needed to understand how to use a tablet PC. Patients had to be able to hear and understand the tablet PC. Patients had to be undergoing chemotherapy. Tablet PCs are expensive. There was a high refusal rate to participate in the study.