Staying Healthy With Follow-up Care: A Mobile Chatbot Feasibility Study for AYA Cancer Survivors

Survivorship Clinical Trial

Official title:

Staying Healthy With Follow-up Care: A Feasibility Study Utilizing a Chatbot (Penny) Via Mobile Phones to Increase Compliance With Risk Based Survivorship Care (RBSC) Among Adult Survivors of Pediatric and Young Adult Cancers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05863702
• Other study ID #: UPCC#: 11923
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 11, 2023
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: September 2023
• Source: Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
• Contact: Linda A Jacobs, PhD, CRNP
• Phone: 215-615-3371
• Email: linda.jacobs[@]pennmedicine.upenn.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this project is to identify effective strategies to assist survivors of childhood and young adult cancers (diagnosed between birth and age 39) who have not returned for follow-up cancer care for 3 or more years, to reengage with the health care system. The investigator will evaluate the effect of a novel, bidirectional conversational agent ("Penny"), compared to usual care, to assist patients with scheduling appointments, lab work as well as scans and specialty appointments as needed.

Description:

To achieve this, the investigator will use a two-arm randomized controlled trial to explore how multilevel factors impact the acceptability and effectiveness of this strategy by collecting qualitative and quantitative data from patients. Penny is a conversational agent ("chatbot") that engages patients in real time via text messaging, allowing for bidirectional communication and motivational cues to promote adherence. The chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 50
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: February 29, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patient (age > 18 years), male or female, diagnosed with cancer as a child or as a young adult, between birth and 39 years of age

• Patient possession of a mobile device that can receive SMS texts

• Ability to respond to questions and engage with "Penny" in English

• Ability to provide informed consent to participate in the study

• Approval of the patient's oncology care team for the patient to be involved in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Anyone who does not meet the inclusion criteria

• Patients with a history of thyroid cancer or skin cancers

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Survivorship

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Penny
The chatbot will assist patients who have not been see for cancer follow-up care, with scheduling follow-up appointments, labs, scans, specialty appointments, and monitor compliance with the appointments made.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	To evaluate the utilization of a chatbot (Penny) to increase receipt of evidence-based survivorship care in YA survivors of pediatric and YA cancers	We will identify adult survivors of pediatric and YA cancers who have not been seen for follow-up care >3 years and evaluate patients' engagement with Penny to schedule return appointments and adhere to recommended life-long ongoing follow-up care according to the NCCN guidelines. Patients will be monitored over a 16-week period to see if they scheduled a follow-up care appointment.	1 year
Primary	Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm	Percentage of initial responses to the conversation initiated by Penny (opt in vs. opt out) providing permission for text messaging	1 year
Primary	Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm	Total number of times patients engage with Penny to schedule follow up appointments, scans, labs, recommendations for other services made at each clinical visit	1 year
Primary	Number of patients who agree to use Penny and patient engagement overtime in those patients randomized to the Penny arm	Total number of patients who engage with Penny throughout the study, schedule and are compliant with appointments, scans, labs, and referrals to other services made at each clinical visit	1 year