(74) Using Information Communication Technology to Offer Health Support to Childhood Cancer Survivors and Their Families amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Ms. Tan CHEUNG¹, Dr. William Ho-Cheung LI^1
1The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated rapidly to become a global health crisis. Childhood cancer survivors who are immunocompromised may face an increased susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Consequently, the families of childhood cancer survivors are encountering an immense level of additional pressure during this unprecedented crisis. Those precautionary restrictions, including home confinement, when combined with the lack of physical education resulting from school closures, have led to a dramatic decline in the physical activity levels of childhood cancer survivors.

Content
In response to the accelerating pandemic and its impacts on survivors’ level of physical activity, our research team has continually provided exercise counseling via information communication technologies (using WhatsApp/WeChat) to promote regular physical activity among childhood cancer survivors. Regular instant messages have been delivered via WhatsApp/WeChat to the parents of childhood cancer survivors to provide information and guidance regarding the importance of regular engagement in physical activity. A wide variety of home exercises, including stretching exercises, home-based circuit training, and exercise games, have been introduced to the parents based on the survivors’ functional capacities and their sports preferences to improve their overall fitness.

Outcomes
We have received positive feedback from the parents regarding the health support provided. Most parents have realized the importance of engaging regular physical activity even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, parents have reported that they have performed regular home exercises as recommended and found that it is useful in enhancing the physical activity of their child and the whole family.

Conclusion
Continued and coordinated efforts should be made to proactively address the unmet physical and psychosocial needs of the vulnerable childhood cancer survivors and their families during the pandemic. Using information communication technologies appears to be a feasible and flexible way to deliver health promotion to childhood cancer survivors to get through such stressful times.

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