Interventions to improve the aftercare of survivors of childhood cancer: A systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: This systematic review summarizes the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving the experiences and outcomes for childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Design: We performed a structured literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, CINHAL, ERIC, and PsychoInfo from 1995 to 2017. Studies were included if they (1) described or evaluated a psychosocial, transition, educational, physical activity, or health behavior modification intervention provided to childhood cancer survivors (CCS); (2) presented original empirical research; (3) were published between January 1, 1995 and September 13, 2017; and (4) were full articles, published in English. Results: Twenty-nine articles met our inclusion criteria. The articles covered five main types of interventions: social skills development, physical activity, workbooks, education, and web-based interventions. Study participants found that overall interventions were useful and showed potential to improve health behaviors for CCS. Conclusions: Many of the interventions reviewed were helpful to patients and their families; however, most were at a pilot project stage and evidence for their long-term effectiveness was limited across all studies. Keywords: Interventions, Survivorship, Pediatric cancer survivors, Aftercare