Poster Presentation Cancer Survivorship Conference 2023

Online peer support for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors during, and beyond, the pandemic: Implementing Recapture Life in community settings (#156)

Ursula M Sansom-Daly 1 2 3 , Holly E Evans 1 2 , Gadiel Dumlao 1 2 , Jessica Buster 1 2 , Pandora Patterson 4 5 , Annette Beattie 6 , Richard J Cohn 2 3 , Claire E Wakefield 1 2
  1. Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  2. School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, Australia
  3. Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia
  4. CanTeen Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Cancer Nursing Research Unit, Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Introduction

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors face numerous psychological challenges following cancer treatment. Few rigorously-evaluated, skills-based psychological support programs exist, and are accessible, in Australia. To address this need, we designed an online, cognitive-behavioural therapy intervention, delivered in groups with peer cancer survivors: ‘ReCaPTure LiFe’. Following the Phase-II randomised-controlled trial to establish Recapture Life’s efficacy, acceptability and safety,(1-3) we are implementing Recapture Life in partnership with several community-based cancer support organisations. 

Method

We are evaluating the community implementation of Recapture Life using a hybrid II implementation-effectiveness trial design with pre-post participant assessments, guided by the RE-AIM framework. AYAs aged 13-40 will receive the interventions through our community-partner organisations, Canteen or Country Hope for AYAs aged 13-25 years (younger version: ‘Recapture Life’), and Cancer Council NSW for 25-40-year-olds (older version: ‘Reclaim Life’). The intervention’s impact on participant distress and quality of life will be assessed using validated measures. Implementation outcomes including fidelity, feasibility, cost-effectiveness and maintenance of effects will be evaluated following gold-standard implementation research guidelines.

Results

This talk will highlight ‘lessons learned’ through the implementation trial, and implications for sustainable delivery of online programs in the community. To date, we have delivered eleven experiential training sessions to 19 counselling staff across our community-partner organisations. Community-delivered Recapture Life groups are underway, with forty-one AYAs participating in online groups to date. We will present early participant/staff experiences, together with implementation data on the process of engaging and partnering with community organisations, and tailoring online delivery to fit existing practice.

Discussion

Cost-effective psychological intervention in survivorship can reduce the burden on health-care systems, whilst simultaneously improving long-term mental health outcomes. Recapture Life’s online format will increase the capacity of community organisations to meet the needs of AYA cancer survivors, especially those in rural/remote areas, by providing equitable access to evidence-based care.

  1. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., McGill, B. C., & Patterson, P. (2015). Ethical and clinical challenges in delivering group-based cognitive-behavioural therapy to adolescents and young adults with cancer using videoconferencing technology. Australian Psychologist, 50(4), 271-278. doi:10.1111/ap.12112
  2. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., Bryant, R. A., Patterson, P., Anazodo, A., Butow, P., . . . Cohn, R. J. (2019). Feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the Recapture Life videoconferencing intervention for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 28(2), 284-292. doi:10.1002/pon.4938
  3. Sansom-Daly, U. M., Wakefield, C. E., Ellis, S. J., McGill, B. C., Donoghoe, M. W., Butow, P., . . . The Recapture Life Working Party. (2021). Online, Group-Based Psychological Support for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Results from the Recapture Life Randomized Trial. Cancers, 13(10), 2460.