Development and Validation of the EFT for Adolescents With Cancer

Recruiting

• Conditions: Cancer

• Registration Number: NCT05304988
• Lead Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Brief Summary

There is increasing evidence of interventions shown to be effective to promote physical activity in adolescents with cancer. Nevertheless, adolescents with cancer become physically inactive after the end of the interventions. These interventions emphasized heavily on interventionists' role to assess adolescents' physical fitness and prescribe exercises. After the intervention, the adolescents were unable to follow the previous exercise prescriptions due to their changing medical conditions. To promote physical activity sustainably, it is vital to develop a patient-based assessment tool to allow adolescents with cancer to self-assess their own appropriate levels of physical activity that they could perform. However, a review of literature indicates a lack of such a tool.

Detailed Description

A cross-sectional study design will be used. A convenience sample of 400 adolescents who (1) are aged 13-18; (2) are diagnosed with cancer; (3) can communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese will be recruited in Hong Kong Children's Hospital. The outcome measures will include demographic characteristics, pain scores, cardiopulmonary function measurements, EFT scores and ratings of the physiotherapists for the fitness of subjects for physical activity.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-09-07
• Study First Submitted: 2021-05-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-03-22
• Study First Posted: 2022-03-31
• Primary Completion: 2023-09-06
• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-15
• Last Update Posted: 2025-08-20
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 400

Inclusion Criteria

• Aged 13-18
• are diagnosed with cancer
• are able to communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese

Exclusion Criteria

Those with physical or cognitive impairments and learning problems, as identified from the medical records, were excluded. Also, those with medical advice that physical activity was not recommended or with detailed exercise prescriptions from physicians or physiotherapists during recruitment were excluded.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The EFT scores	Just before their scheduled physiotherapists interview	Subjects will be asked to mark their responses for the EFT items in the second draft just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit. The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate that the subjects are fit for a higher level of physical activity.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The physiotherapists' rating for physical activity	Just before their scheduled physiotherapist interview	The physiotherapists will rate the subject with the most appropriate intensity level of physical activity on a 5-point scale. The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate that the subjects are fit for a higher level of physical activity.
Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain	Just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit	Subjects will be asked to mark their pain level on the NRS according to their experience just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit. The scale ranges from 0 to 10. Higher scores represent a higher level of pain.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Katherine Lam; 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong,China, Hong Kong

Katherine Lam; 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong,China, Hong Kong