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Current Oncology
Volume 20
Issue 1
10.3747/co.20.1210
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Current Oncology is published by MDPI from Volume 28 Issue 1 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher in Open Access under a CC-BY (or CC-BY-NC-ND) licence, and they are hosted by MDPI on mdpi.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Multimed Inc..
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Article

Evaluation of CancerChatCanada: A Program of Online Support for Canadians Affected by Cancer

by
J. Stephen
1,*,
A. Rojubally
1,
K. MacGregor
2,
D. McLeod
3,
M. Speca
4,
J. Taylor–Brown
5,
K. Fergus
6,
K. Collie
7,
J. Turner
7,
S. Sellick
8 and
G. Mackenzie
1
1
BC Cancer Agency, Provincial Psychosocial Oncology Program, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2
University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
3
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
4
Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada
5
Cancer Care Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
6
Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
7
Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
8
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Curr. Oncol. 2013, 20(1), 39-47; https://doi.org/10.3747/co.20.1210
Submission received: 7 January 2013 / Revised: 10 January 2013 / Accepted: 14 January 2013 / Published: 1 February 2013

Abstract

Background: Professional-led cancer support groups can improve quality of life and address unmet needs, but most Canadians affected by cancer do not have access to or do not make use of cancer support groups. A collaborative interdisciplinary team developed, operated, and evaluated Internet-based, professional-led, live-chat support groups (osgs) for cancer patients, caregivers, and survivors across Canada. Objective: Our study aimed to report participant and participation characteristics in the pan-Canadian initiative known as CancerChatCanada, and to understand participant perspectives about the quality of communication and professional facilitation, overall satisfaction, and psychosocial benefits and outcomes. Methods: Participants in osgs provided informed consent. Participant and participation characteristics were gathered from program data collection tools and are described using frequencies, means, and chi-squares. Patient, survivor, and caregiver perspectives were derived from 102 telephone interviews conducted after osg completion and subjected to a directed qualitative content analysis. Results: The 55 professional-led osgs enrolled 351 participants from 9 provinces. More than half the participants came from rural or semirural areas, and more than 84% had no received previous cancer support. The attendance rate was 75%, the dropout rate was 26%, and 80% of participants were satisfied or very satisfied. The convenience and privacy of osgs were benefits. Meaningful communication about important and difficult topics, kinship and bonding with others, and improved mood and self-care were perceived outcomes. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that this collaborative initiative was successful in increasing reach and access, and that pan-Canadian, professional-led osgs provide psychosocial benefit to underserved and burdened cancer patients, survivors, and family caregivers.
Keywords: cancer; Internet; psychosocial; online support; professional-led; confidentiality; program evaluation cancer; Internet; psychosocial; online support; professional-led; confidentiality; program evaluation

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Stephen, J.; Rojubally, A.; MacGregor, K.; McLeod, D.; Speca, M.; Taylor–Brown, J.; Fergus, K.; Collie, K.; Turner, J.; Sellick, S.; et al. Evaluation of CancerChatCanada: A Program of Online Support for Canadians Affected by Cancer. Curr. Oncol. 2013, 20, 39-47. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.20.1210

AMA Style

Stephen J, Rojubally A, MacGregor K, McLeod D, Speca M, Taylor–Brown J, Fergus K, Collie K, Turner J, Sellick S, et al. Evaluation of CancerChatCanada: A Program of Online Support for Canadians Affected by Cancer. Current Oncology. 2013; 20(1):39-47. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.20.1210

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stephen, J., A. Rojubally, K. MacGregor, D. McLeod, M. Speca, J. Taylor–Brown, K. Fergus, K. Collie, J. Turner, S. Sellick, and et al. 2013. "Evaluation of CancerChatCanada: A Program of Online Support for Canadians Affected by Cancer" Current Oncology 20, no. 1: 39-47. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.20.1210

APA Style

Stephen, J., Rojubally, A., MacGregor, K., McLeod, D., Speca, M., Taylor–Brown, J., Fergus, K., Collie, K., Turner, J., Sellick, S., & Mackenzie, G. (2013). Evaluation of CancerChatCanada: A Program of Online Support for Canadians Affected by Cancer. Current Oncology, 20(1), 39-47. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.20.1210

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