Patterns of Fatigue in Adolescents with Cancer

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The broad goal of this research study is to investigate fatigue in a population of adolescents with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy in inpatient or outpatient settings. The primary aim of the study is to describe the patterns of fatigue, severity, distress, and interference with function during the course of one cycle (4 weeks) of chemotherapy. Secondary aims are to: 1) describe the impact of fatigue over time from the adolescent's perspective; 2) explore variables that may affect fatigue in this population, such as age, diagnosis, therapy, hemoglobin level, and sleep, in order to inform future research; and 3) determine the feasibility of collecting pattern data in this population. A descriptive research design with repeated measures using a mixed-methods approach will be used. A convenience sample of 25 adolescents, ages 13 to 19 years, will be enrolled in the study. Data will be collected through medical record review, daily ratings of fatigue, weekly self-report questionnaire using the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and weekly diary entries. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive, graphic, and non-parametric summary statistics. Qualitative data will be analyzed for meaning and themes to develop a narrative description of the fatigue experience.