The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Digi-Coach chatbot for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. The main question it aims to answer is: How effective is the Digi-Coach chatbot in reducing physical and psychological distress? Researchers will compare Digi-Coach chatbot to usual nursing care to see if Digi-Coach chatbot is effective for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Participants will have access to the Digi-Coach chatbot during radiotherapy in addition to usual care. The research nurse will provide training on how to navigate the chatbot and ask participants to query all their cancer-related concerns in the chatbot.
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Digi-Coach chatbot for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. The main question it aims to answer is: How effective is the Digi-Coach chatbot in reducing physical and psychological distress? Researchers will compare Digi-Coach chatbot to usual nursing care to see if Digi-Coach chatbot is effective for reducing physical and psychological distress in people undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. A single-blinded parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT allocation ratio = 1:1) will be conducted, with baseline data collection at week 1 (T0) and three follow-up timepoints at week 8 (T1), week 12 (T2) following radiotherapy commencement. Participants in the Treatment-As-Usual group will receive routine onsite nursing care in which the nurse discussed general knowledge of self-care behaviors regarding the management of radiotherapy-related side effects. Participants in the intervention group will have access to the Digi-Coach chatbot in addition to usual care. The research nurse will provide training on how to navigate the chatbot and ask participants to query all their cancer-related concerns in the chatbot.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
138
Participants will have access to the Digi-Coach chatbot in addition to usual care. The research nurse will provide training on how to navigate the chatbot and ask participants to query all their cancer related concerns in the chatbot.
The University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGQueen Mary Hospital
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
RECRUITINGNational Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer
A 2-item measurement that has participants first rate their distress levels on a scale of 0 (no distress) to 10 (extreme distress) and then self-report their concerns by choosing from a given list of physical, emotional, social, practical, spiritual, or other concerns.
Time frame: 1 week, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks
Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale
32-item comprehensive tool for assessing cancer-related symptom burden with three analysis domains of symptom severity (1 = slight, 4 = very severe), prevalence (1 = rarely, 4 = almost constantly), and distress (0 = not at all, 4 = very much).
Time frame: 1 week, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck
27 items on the general well-being domain (physical, social/family, emotional, and functional) and 11 items specific to head and neck cancer on a 5-point Likert scale. The total score ranges from 0 to 148; the higher the score, the better the quality of life.
Time frame: 1 week, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks
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