Telehealth Symptom Management in Head and Neck Cancer

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究将设计和评估远程医疗干预，以改善接受头颈部癌症治疗的患者的症状管理和缓解。 使用远程医疗监测系统，该研究将解决并试图克服这一患者群体共同的沟通障碍，努力弥合已建立的症状管理科学与实际应用的有效措施之间的差距差距，以改善症状困扰。 研究将分两个阶段进行。 在第一阶段，将采用最佳实践和与患者、护理人员和临床医生的参与性行动研究，根据头颈癌患者常见的症状和问题开发远程医疗算法。 该算法将被集成到一个远程医疗设备系统中，该系统涉及患者的日常症状评估，以满足他们全面的跨学科护理需求。 该设备价格便宜，患者使用简单。 在第二阶段，随机对照试验将评估干预的有效性、效率、可接受性和可行性。 评价的主要结局将是症状困扰。 实验组和常规护理组都将完成评估工具，测量症状困扰、症状患病率、症状严重程度、生活质量、解决症状的自我效能和对症状管理的满意度。 这项研究的长期目标是设计一种远程医疗方法，以改善症状管理，推广到更广泛的癌症社区。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study will design and evaluate a telehealth intervention to improve symptom management and palliation for patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancers. Using a telehealth monitoring system, the study will address and attempt to overcome communication barriers common to this patient population in an effort to bridge the gap between established symptom management science and the actual application of validated measures to ameliorate symptom distress. The study will consist of two phases. In Phase One, best practices and participatory action research with patients, caregivers, and clinicians will be employed in developing a telehealth algorithm based on symptoms and issues commonly experienced by head and neck cancer patients. This algorithm will be integrated into a telehealth device system that involves patients in daily symptom assessment addressing their comprehensive, interdisciplinary care needs. The device is inexpensive and simple for patients to use. In Phase Two, a randomized controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy, efficiency, acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. The primary outcome evaluated will be symptom distress. Both experimental and usual care groups will complete evaluation instruments measuring symptom distress, symptom prevalence, symptom severity, quality of life, self-efficacy to address symptoms, and satisfaction with symptom management. The long-term goal of this study is to design a telehealth methodology to improve symptom management that is generalizable to the broader cancer community.