AUTHOR=Wu Jing , Meng Jie , Li Honghe 

TITLE=WeChat-platform-based education and care program as a candidate approach to relieve anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in parents of pediatric and adolescent patients with osteosarcoma

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.913940

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.913940

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Background: WeChat is the main social platform in China, characterized by its versatility and ease of communication. This study aimed to explore the effect of a WeChat-platform based education and care (WBEC) program on relieving anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in parents of pediatric and adolescent patients with osteosarcoma.
Methods: Forty-six patients and 86 parents were enrolled in this randomized, controlled study, then assigned to WBEC program (24 patients and 45 parents) and usual education and care (UEC) program (22 patients and 41 parents) for 6 months as a 1:1 ratio.
Results: Parents in WBEC group had lower Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for anxiety (HADS-A) scores at M3 (7.8±2.2 vs. 9.1±2.5) (P=0.010) and M6 (7.7±2.5 vs. 8.9±2.4) (P=0.027) compared to UEC group, while anxiety rate was only decreased at M3 (43.2% vs. 63.4%) (P=0.049) in WBEC group. Meanwhile, parental HADS for depression (HADS-D) scores were reduced at M3 (7.0±2.0 vs. 8.0±2.1) (P=0.047) and M6 (7.1±1.9 vs. 8.0±2.4) (P=0.045) in WBEC group compared with UEC group; while depression rate remained no difference. Parental Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) scores were slightly reduced among WBEC group at M6 compared with UEC group (12.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 10.0-20.8) vs. 15.0 (IQR: 9.5-25.0)) (P=0.077), but not statistically significant.
Conclusion: WBEC is considered a feasible intervention to reduce anxiety and depression in parents of pediatric and adolescent patients with osteosarcoma, while also providing mild relief from PTSD.