Project Title

Rapid development, evaluation and implementation of a digital support to improve the management of cancer and mitagate the impact of COVID-19

Research Focus

Developing a digital platform to assist families coping with cancer in Vietnam

Funder & Dates

UKRI GCRF/Newton Fund 

August 2020-Feb 2022   

Principal Investigator or Primary Supervisor (if PhD project) 

Dr Olinda Santin

Co-Investigators or additional supervisors

Dr Chris Jenkins  

Research Fellow(s) or PhD Student

Name & Institution of Collaborators 

Prof Ho Thi Hien, Hanoi University of Public Health 

Prof Tran Thi Thanh Huong, K3 National Hosptial Hano 

Dr Dang Huy Quoc Thinh, HCMC Oncology Hospital 

Dr Tran Tu Quy, Danang Oncology Centre 

Dr Vo Van Kha, Can Tho Oncology Hosptial 

Dr Nguyen Van Cau, Hue Medical and Pharmaceutical Univerisity 

Dr Ho Xuan Dung, Hue Medical and Pharmaceutical Univerisity 

Ms Cha Thi Hoa, Oncology Center Hue 

Prof Penny Schofeld, Swinburne University 

Name of External Partner Organisations

Description of Project:

Aim; Methods; Expected Outcomes

Using a novel participatory co-design method used to develop digital cancer resources in the UK (Santin 2019) this cross-country team have developed a written prototype of a digital support Vietnam-Cancer Caring Coping (V-CCC) (Santin 2020/Jenkins 2020/ Ho Thi 2020). The physical lockdown and the potential second wave of COVID-19 or 'threat of' other pandemics has demonstrated the need for flexible, high quality health services that can be delivered remotely. In this context in which health services are disrupted, there is an urgent requirement to provide support and care for patients and informal cancer carers (ICC). V-CCC aims to assist the ICC with the management and psychosocial impact of cancer on the patients and ICC health.  

We will evaluate V-CCC in 3 distinct phases:1)Rapid digital development (0-6 months), 2) Pre/post evaluation (6-12 months) and 3) Refinement and implementation (12-18 months). Our interdisciplinary network of partners in 5 regional cancer centres will lead the refinement and filming of modules of V-CCC in consultation with the advisory team.  

V-CCC usability will be assessed via 5 regional focus groups with patients and ICC (n=50). Refinements will be made to V-CCC on the basis of this feedback. A mixed methods pre-post design will be used to evaluate the resource. Nurses in cancer hospitals will recruit participants and assist them to complete baseline measures (mental health, quality of life, health literacy).N=150 ICC will be provided with a weblink and access code to V-CCC for two weeks. Participants willbe asked to complete follow-up surveys identical to those at baseline.30 online interviews will be conducted with ICC to explore the experiences of using V-CCC.We will also conduct N=15 HCP interviews.Following evaluation partners will widely distribute V-CCC via a co-designed implementation strategy. 

Links/URLs to external pages