title: Feasibility of psychoeducational interventions in managing chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting (CANV) in pediatric oncology patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood cancer patients often suffer from Chemotheraphy-Associated Nausea and Vomiting (CANV). To alleviate CANV, relaxation techniques and patient education were combined to develop a multidimensional psychoeducational intervention package. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of the two major components, namely, (1) relaxation, and (2) patient education, of a psychoeducational intervention, prior to the commencement of the main study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pre-test-post-test control group design was adopted. Twenty patients were allocated equally to the relaxation group (10 participants) and to the educational group (10 participants). Twenty historical matched control cases were identified to form the control groups. Besides, a process evaluation was adopted to assess the feasibility of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In relation to episodes of vomiting on day 3, a significant difference was detected from the results (X(2) = 8.54, p = 0.036), in that fewer patients in the relaxation group experienced vomiting. A significant difference was not found in both the use of antiemetics and body weight between the groups. All subjects in the intervention groups adhered to the intervention and completed the questionnaire without difficulty. Patients and parents perceived the intervention as being moderately useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the beneficial effect of relaxation and education in alleviating CANV was not well-supported statistically, the findings from descriptive data suggest that these interventions promoted the intake of antiemetics as a preventive method. Both interventions and instruments were well-received by the patients and also by their parents.
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: whchan@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Carmen W H
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Lai Wah
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Chi Kong
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jeanny S S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: National Singapore University, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Karis K F
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ki Wai
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chik
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Helen Y L
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Winnie K W
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: So
authors.affiliation: Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Winnie P Y
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D065187:Controlled Before-After Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D065386:Historically Controlled Study; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Chemotherapy; Nausea; Oncology; Pediatric; Psychoeducation intervention; Vomiting