Terrah Foster Akard

Facebook advertisements recruit parents of children with cancer for an online survey of web-based research preferences.

Background: Studies involving samples of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families face significant challenges, including inadequate sample sizes and limited diversity. Social media recruitment and Web-based research methods may help address such challenges yet have not been explored in pediatric cancer populations. Objective: This study examined the feasibility of using Facebook advertisements to recruit parent caregivers of children and teenagers with cancer. We also explored the feasibility of Web-based video recording in pediatric palliative care populations by surveying parents of children with cancer regarding (a) their preferences for research methods and (b) technological capabilities of their computers and phones. Methods: Facebook’s paid advertising program was used to recruit parent caregivers of children currently living with cancer to complete an electronic survey about research preferences and technological capabilities. Results: The advertising campaign generated 3 897 981 impressions, which resulted in 1050 clicks at a total cost of

From Qualitative Work to Intervention Development in Pediatric Oncology Palliative Care Research

1129.88. Of 284 screened individuals, 106 were eligible. Forty-five caregivers of children with cancer completed the entire electronic survey. Parents preferred and had technological capabilities for Web-based and electronic research methods. Participant survey responses are reported. Conclusion: Facebook was a useful, cost-effective method to recruit a diverse sample of parent caregivers of children with cancer. Web-based video recording and data collection may be feasible and desirable in samples of children with cancer and their families. Implications for Practice: Web-based methods (eg, Facebook, Skype) may enhance communication and access between nurses and pediatric oncology patients and their families.

Digital storytelling: An innovative legacy-making intervention for children with cancer

Qualitative methods can be particularly useful approaches to use with individuals who are experiencing a rare disease and thus who comprise a small sample (such as children with cancer) and are at points in care that few experience (such as end of life). This data-based methods article describes how findings from a qualitative study were used to guide and shape a pediatric oncology palliative care intervention. Qualitative data can lay a strong foundation for subsequent pilot intervention work by facilitating the development of an underlying study conceptualization, providing recruitment feasibility estimates, helping establish clinically meaningful inclusion criteria, establishing staff acceptability of a research intervention, and providing support for face validity of newly developed interventions. These benefits of preliminary qualitative research are described in the context of this study on legacy-making, which involves reports of children (7-12 years of age) living with advanced cancer and of their parent caregivers.

Factors affecting recruitment and participation of bereaved parents and siblings in grief research

This study examined the feasibility of a legacy‐making intervention in children with cancer and the preliminary effects on outcomes related to quality of life.

Contributions of Advanced Practice Nurses With a DNP Degree During Palliative and End-of-Life Care of Children With Cancer

Abstract This study examined participation factors in a study of families (N = 84) within 1 year of a childs cancer-related death. Specific aims were to examine associations between: (a) recruitment variables (number of phone calls made to eligible families, number of calls answered by eligible families) and participation rates (study agreement and refusal) and (b) characteristics of deceased children (gender, age, length of illness, time since death) and participation rates. Characteristics of deceased children did not differ between participating and non-participating families. Researchers made significantly fewer calls to participating versus refusing families. Participating families most often agreed during the first successful call connection, and more calls did not mean more recruitment success. Thus, it is reasonable to limit the number of calls made to bereaved families. Despite recruitment challenges, many bereaved parents and siblings are willing and interested to participate in grief research.

Animal-Assisted Therapy in Pediatric Palliative Care

The doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) degree is recommended as the terminal degree for advanced practice nurses by 2015. Improvement in the quality of palliative and end-of-life care for children with cancer is recognized as a health care priority. The purpose of this article is to describe: (a) how the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s 8 core elements and competencies can be used by DNP-advanced practice nurses in pediatric oncology settings and (b) the DNP-advanced practice nurses’ leadership role to advocate translation of evidence in the care of pediatric oncology patients and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration to improve health care outcomes for pediatric oncology patients.

Grief and growth in bereaved siblings: Interactions between different sources of social support.

Animal-assisted therapy is an emerging complementary strategy with an increasing presence in the literature. Limited studies have been conducted with children, particularly those with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. Although outcomes show promise in decreasing suffering of children receiving palliative care services, more work is needed to validate evidence to support implementation of animal-assisted therapy with this vulnerable population.

Facebook Advertising To Recruit Pediatric Populations

The objective was to characterize the relation between different sources of school-based social support (friends, peers, and teachers) and bereaved siblings’ grief and grief-related growth and to examine whether nonparental sources of social support buffer the effects of low parent support on bereaved siblings. Families (N = 85) were recruited from cancer registries at 3 pediatric institutions 3–12 months after a child’s death. Bereaved siblings were 8–18 years old (M = 12.39, SD = 2.65) and majority female (58%) and White (74%). During home visits, siblings reported their perceptions of social support from parental and nonparental sources using the Social Support Scale for Children, as well as grief and grief-related growth using the Hogan Sibling Inventory of Bereavement. Parent, friend, and teacher support were positively correlated with grief-related growth, whereas parent and peer support were negatively correlated with grief for adolescents. Teacher and friend support significantly moderated the association between parent support and grief such that teacher and friend support accentuated the positive effects of parent support. Friend and peer support moderated associations between parent support and grief/growth for adolescents but not children. School-based social support, namely from friends, peers, and teachers, appears to facilitate the adjustment of bereaved siblings. Findings suggest that bereaved siblings may benefit from enhanced support from teachers and friends regardless of age, with middle/high school students particularly benefitting from increased support from close friends and peers.

Circumstances surrounding deaths from the perspective of bereaved Honduran families

Dear Editor: Facebook is being used as an innovative and cost-effective strategy for research recruitment. This novel approach is promising for researchers experiencing recruitment difficulties because of few eligible participants. Studies involving children with advanced cancer may require multiple data collection sites to achieve adequate sample sizes. Unfortunately, multisite studies pose additional challenges, such as high costs, large number of staff, and numerous institutional review boards. Facebook has been used to successfully recruit parents of children with cancer, yet recruitment of more challenging groups such as children with relapsed or refractory cancer and their parents remains unexplored. This study examined the use of Facebook advertising to recruit children with advanced cancer and their parents.

Invisible communities of dying children and their loved ones.

PURPOSE This qualitative study examined how bereaved individuals from Honduras responded to deaths of loved ones, particularly through exploring circumstances surrounding deaths and various coping strategies. METHODS With the help of a translator, bereaved family members in Honduras were interviewed using a semi-structured format. The interactions were audio-recorded and later translated and transcribed. RESULTS Some 60% of individuals spent time with other family members during their loved ones end of life and 22.5% of grieving individuals took solace in spirituality or religious practices and connecting with God. Some 40% wanted to speak with others through support groups. When individuals spoke about remembering the deceased, both comforting and discomforting effects were expressed. CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed to learn more about coping strategies in various cultures and support mechanisms that health professionals can use or suggest when working with bereaved individuals.