Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 12, 2025

E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Pilot randomized psychosocial trial of a screening intervention in pediatric oncology
Maru Barrera1, Leandra Desjardins2, Soni Prasad1
1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Psychology, SickKids Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Objective:
Psychosocial screening is a standard of care in pediatric oncology, but there is limited information about how to intervene after screening. This pilot trial aimed to determine feasibility of the novel Enhanced Psychosocial Screening Intervention (EPSI) and explore its preliminary efficacy outcomes. We examined rates of recruitment, retention, intervention acceptability, and monthly distress screening completion, as well as exploratory efficacy outcomes (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System: depression, anxiety and fatigue; distress thermometer, pain and sleep).
Methods:
Parallel-group randomized pilot trial: Caregiver-youth (10-17 years at enrollment, newly diagnosed with cancer) dyads were randomly allocated to either EPSI or standard care with 1:1 ratio allocation. EPSI consists of having a Psychosocial Navigator who shares screening results conducted near diagnosis and monthly for one year with treating teams and families, and provides recommendations tailored to screening results.
Results:
Enrollment rate was 54% (38 dyads); retention was 90% and acceptability 86% (caregivers) and 76% (youth). Exploratory symptoms of depression, anxiety, distress and fatigue outcomes consistently improved mainly for caregivers.
Conclusions:
Results suggest EPSI is feasible and acceptable and exploratory mental and physical efficacy outcomes are promising for use in a future confirmatory multisite efficacy trial.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Randomized Experiments
Simple randomization
Simple...
Clinical Trials: Overview
Clinical Trials
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
Treatment Resistant Cancers
Cancer Survival Analysis
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...

