Mol van Otterloo, S.R. de (2014) Progress in the Development and Validation of a Pediatric Cancer-Specific Symptom Screening and Assessment Tool (SSPedi). thesis, Medicine.
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Abstract
Background: Children with cancer experience symptoms due to cancer and intensive cancer treatments. In order to reduce symptoms, it is important to recognize and monitor symptoms early on in the illness. The child, not their parent, is best placed to determine how severe or bothersome a symptom is. Therefore it was decided to develop Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi); a questionnaire that children with cancer can use to highlight symptoms that are important to them. Objectives: The overall aims of this study were; to refine the paper version of SSPedi by validating the appeal to and difficulty for children, to translate this tool to an electronic version on a tablet platform (iPad) and to ensure that the electronic version is a good way for children to identify their symptoms and communicate their severity. This paper describes and discusses the issues in the progress of the development of SSPedi. Methods: 8 to 18 year old English-speaking children with cancer and parents of children with cancer in this age range participated in this study. Thirty children and twenty parents were asked to determine whether SSPedi included the most important symptoms from their perspective. Through cognitive interviews and cognitive probing the study team validated whether even the youngest children understood and liked the paper version of SSPedi. Just before the paper version of SSPedi was considered adequate, the process to translate it to an electronic version was commenced. Future steps in the development of SSPedi will include evaluating the reliability and the construct validity of SSPedi in children with cancer. Results: SSPedi has been revised based on the results of twenty child and twenty parent interviews. Symptoms were added, deleted and altered in accordance with the data. Moreover, eleven issues arose from the cognitive interviews. Furthermore, the development of the electronic version of SSPedi has been set in motion. Conclusion: The paper version of SSPedi will be revised once more to validate all the symptoms on the tool. This last verification will be based on ten new interviews with children. However it is not expected that this last revision will induce any changes in the current version. The cognitive interviews have attributed to new insights of interviewing children and parents. Significance: The sooner the reason is identified and known why a child is suffering, the earlier effective treatment can be started. SSPedi is an important step towards early identification and monitoring of symptoms thus will have a great impact on the quality of life and well being of children suffering from cancer.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Tissing, Dr. W. J. |
| Supervisor name: | Sung, Dr. L. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jun 2020 10:58 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2020 10:58 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/1848 |
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