Development and Validation of the EFT for Adolescents With Cancer

Development and Validation of the Exercise Fit Test (EFT) for Adolescents With Cancer

There is increasing evidence of interventions shown to be effective to promote physical activity in adolescents with cancer. Nevertheless, adolescents with cancer become physically inactive after the end of the interventions. These interventions emphasized heavily on interventionists' role to assess adolescents' physical fitness and prescribe exercises. After the intervention, the adolescents were unable to follow the previous exercise prescriptions due to their changing medical conditions. To promote physical activity sustainably, it is vital to develop a patient-based assessment tool to allow adolescents with cancer to self-assess their own appropriate levels of physical activity that they could perform. However, a review of literature indicates a lack of such a tool.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Testing of the EFT

Detailed Description

A cross-sectional study design will be used. A convenience sample of 400 adolescents who (1) are aged 13-18; (2) are diagnosed with cancer; (3) can communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese will be recruited in Hong Kong Children's Hospital. The outcome measures will include demographic characteristics, pain scores, cardiopulmonary function measurements, EFT scores and ratings of the physiotherapists for the fitness of subjects for physical activity.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 400

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Katherine Lam, PhD; Phone Number: 27666420; Email: kwkatlam@polyu.edu.hk
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Eva Ho, PhD; Phone Number: 27666417; Email: kyeva.ho@polyu.edu.hk

Study Locations

• Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong,China
    • Hong Kong, Hong Kong,China, Hong Kong, 0000
      • Recruiting
      • Katherine Lam
      • Contact: Katherine Lam, Phd

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 13 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

A convenience sample of 400 adolescents who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to participate. Subjects will be recruited in non-governmental organizations and Hong Kong Children's Hospital which is the largest hospital in Hong Kong for admitting adolescents with cancer for hospitalization and follow-ups.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 13-18
• are diagnosed with cancer
• are able to communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese

Exclusion Criteria:

Those with physical or cognitive impairments and learning problems, as identified from the medical records, were excluded. Also, those with medical advice that physical activity was not recommended or with detailed exercise prescriptions from physicians or physiotherapists during recruitment were excluded.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Developing and testing of EFT; It aims to develop a patient-based assessment tool by our research members for adolescents with cancer in Hong Kong.	Other: Testing of the EFT; Our team will develop specific questions in EFT. Then, subject will be invited to fill in a set of questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, EFT items and a numerical rating scale for pain scores. The physiotherapists will rate the subject with the most appropriate level of physical activity.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The EFT scores	Subjects will be asked to mark their responses for the EFT items in the second draft just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit. The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate that the subjects are fit for a higher level of physical activity.	Just before their scheduled physiotherapists interview

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain	Subjects will be asked to mark their pain level on the NRS according to their experience just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit. The scale ranges from 0 to 10. Higher scores represent a higher level of pain.	Just before their scheduled oncologist routine visit
The physiotherapists' rating for physical activity	The physiotherapists will rate the subject with the most appropriate intensity level of physical activity on a 5-point scale. The scale ranges from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate that the subjects are fit for a higher level of physical activity.	Just before their scheduled physiotherapist interview

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Katherine Lam, PhD, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 7, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 6, 2023
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 18, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 22, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 31, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 20, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 15, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Adolescents; Physical Activity; Tool
• Other Study ID Numbers: EFT_Adolescents

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No