Cancer
Conditions
Keywords
Feasibility, Rehabilitation, young adults, cancer
Brief summary
Between 2019 and 2023, the Young Adult Taking Action (YATAC) program was developed to support young adults recovering from cancer. The program is based on three key studies: * A review of previous programs designed to help young adult cancer survivors. * A study where young adults, their families and friends, and healthcare professionals shared what kind of support young people need to return to everyday life. * A collaborative process where young adults, professionals, and researchers worked together to design the program's content and how it should be delivered. YATAC is specifically designed for young adults and includes different areas of support, such as setting goals, managing daily life, staying active, coping with psychological challenges, navigating education and work, understanding rights and finances, relationships and sexuality, family and friends, and peer-to-peer support. The first phase of the project was funded by the Danish Cancer Society, the Region of Southern Denmark, the University of Southern Denmark, and REHPA, the Danish Knowledge Centre for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care. One of the study in the second phase includes: Study 1: A feasibility study to see if young adults find the program relevant and helpful, and whether they are able to participate. A total of 40 young adults will try the program at the Center for Cancer and Health in Copenhagen. The findings will help refine the program so it can be adapted to local healthcare services. The results from these studies will provide valuable insights into how to better support young adult cancer survivors and reduce the long-term challenges they face. The program is expected to improve their quality of life while also helping to reduce healthcare costs and social inequality.
Detailed description
Young adult cancer survivors aged 18-39 experience extensive age-specific late effects after cancer treatment affecting their everyday life; yet, they are not receiving rehabilitation after ending treatment, leading to reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In 2019, the 'Young Adult Taking Action' (YATAC) programme was established to develop a rehabilitation programme supporting young adult cancer survivors in taking control over their everyday life and increasing their HRQoL. The programme is a person-centred, goal-oriented, interdisciplinary and peer-based intervention. It is delivered over 16 weeks, primarily as a group-based intervention and consists of the following components: 1. Needs assessment and goal setting 2. Everyday life 3. Physical activity 4. Mental health 5. Education and work 6. Sexuality and relationship 7. Family and friends The overall perspectives are to improve quality of life, self-efficacy, functioning and reduce cancer and treatment-related late effects in young adult cancer survivors. The programme has undergone a development process and is now ready to be tested to prepare national scalability. The study include: 1\) A feasibility study assessing the content and delivery of the YATAC programme for young adult cancer survivors in the Municipality of Copenhagen. Qualitative and quantitative data will be collected about acceptability of the programme and its intervention components, potential mechanisms of action, perceived value, benefits, harms, and unintended consequences and fidelity, reach, and dose. Furthermore, costs related to content and delivery of the YATAC programme will also be evaluated. The project will potentially change rehabilitation practice in Danish municipalities for young adult cancer survivors and reduce the disabling late effects from cancer treatment, so they can obtain the best possible HRQoL.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALYATAC
Age-specific rehabilitation for young adult cancer survivors
Sponsors
Defactum, Central Denmark Region
Gødstrup Hospital
University of Southern Denmark
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
A repeated-measurement one-armed feasibility study
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 39 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Included participants will be between 18-39 years old with any cancer diagnosis, * Undergoing or having undergone curative intended cancer treatment * Reporting a rehabilitation need * Speaking and understanding the Danish language * Living in the Municipality of Copenhagen
Exclusion criteria
* Young people aged 18-39 who were diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative data | Qualitative will be collected during the 16 weeks of intervention, including baseline (T1), session delivery (T2), and the end of the 16 weeks (T3). | Quantitative data from professionals delivering the programme: Paper-based forms will collect data about fidelity, dose, and the programme's overall value. Quantitative data from participants: They will report their perceived value of each session, the degree to which they could participate in each session, the overall value of the programme regarding improvement in everyday life and self-efficacy, and the degree to which they have adopted the content from the sessions into their everyday lives. Furthermore, the investigators will also evaluate the value of using peer-to-peer support. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Qualitative data | End at 16 weeks | Qualitative data from participants: A purposively selected sample of the participants will be invited to participate in a semi-structured focus group interview focusing on perceived benefits, harms, unintended consequences, and acceptability (n=10). Qualitative data from professionals: The professionals will be invited to a focus group interview on the same aspects as above. |
Countries
Denmark
Outcome results
None listed