The goal of this clinical trial is to adapt a mental health digital app to treat depression among head and neck cancer patients and survivors. Participants will download and use the digital mental health app for a 6-week period, and will complete related surveys.
This study is being done to estimate the feasibility/efficacy/acceptability of the IONA Mind app for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients and survivors who show evidence of comorbid depression. IONA Mind is a digital app that delivers mental health support. Once users sign up and respond to the initial assessment with PHQ-9 questionnaire, it reaches out to users proactively to offer support, personalized wellbeing plans, and guidance. In partnership with the UWCCC, the IONA Mind Team, the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) and the Head Neck Patient Advocacy team, the investigators propose adaptation of the IONA Mind app and pilot testing the app with 30 HNC patients and survivors. Using a mixed method design the specific aims are: * AIM 1. Adaptation of IONA Mind app for head and neck cancer. The research team will iteratively adapt the IONA Mind app to provide psychological support for HNC patients and survivors. The HNC Survivors Advisory Board will assist in identifying key aspects of the HNC survivors' journey from diagnosis to the survivorship phase, which will be prioritized and considered to iteratively redesign the IONA Mind phone app to better support HNC patients and survivors * AIM 2. Identify feasibility of the IONA Mind app for head and neck cancer. The IONA Mind app will be tested with 30 HNC patients and survivors, recruited from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) recruitment registry and from the clinical practice at UW Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC) * AIM 3. Determine preliminary efficacy IONA Mind app tailored for depression comorbid with head and neck cancer. Clinical outcomes will be measured at baseline, weekly for 6 weeks (including the 6-week period of app utilization), and post-intervention follow-up conducted at 1- and 3-month post intervention using validated tools to access depression * AIM 4. Determine satisfaction and acceptability of the IONA Mind app. Satisfaction with the IONA Mind app will be measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS) delivered at 1-2 weeks following the completion of the app utilization. In addition, a qualitative interview for a random sub sample of 10 - 15 participants will occur shortly after completion of the intervention to assess satisfaction with and acceptability of the mobile app. A head and neck patient and survivor phone app Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (LiCBT) intervention to treat depression co-designed by HNC advocates, mental health professionals and an expert technologist is a critical outcome of this research.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
1
The IONA Mind app is a smartphone app that delivers mental health support.
University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Feasibility: Screening to enrollment ratio
Recruitment and Retention Tracking Tool will calculate the screening to enrollment ratio.
Time frame: baseline
Feasibility: Measured by Retention rate
The Recruitment and Retention Tracking Tool will calculate the the number of participants who are recruited, dropped out, and complete the intervention.
Time frame: up to 20 weeks
Feasibility: IONA Mind app Utilization in Minutes
Minutes of app usage
Time frame: up to 20 weeks
Change in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
Clinical outcomes will be measured at baseline, weekly for 6 weeks during app utilization, and at post-intervention follow-up conducted at 1- and 3-month post intervention using the PHQ-9. The PHQ-9 is a 9-item scale assessing depression. It is scored on a 0- to 3-point Likert scale where 0=Not at all and 3 = nearly every day. Mean scores are reported for a range from 0-27 where higher scores indicate greater levels of depression
Time frame: baseline, weekly during intervention from weeks 1 through 6, 1-month post intervention, 3-month post intervention (up to 20 weeks in total)
Satisfaction Measured by System Usability Scale
The System Usability Scale is a 10-item questionnaire assessing participants' satisfaction with the IONA Mind app. It is scored on a 1- to5-point Likert scale where 1= strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree. Mean item scores are reported with a range from 10 to 50 where higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the app.
Time frame: 2 weeks post-intervention (up to 8 weeks on study)
Qualitative Measure of Acceptability
Ascertained via a qualitative semi-structured interview for a random subsample of 10 - 15 participants after completion of the intervention (1-2 weeks post-intervention). Interview answers with be coded for thematic analysis and reported by participant count.
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Time frame: 2 weeks post-intervention (up to 8 weeks on study)