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Implementing Health‐Related Quality of Life Assessment in Pediatric Oncology: A Feasibility Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in embedding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) within clinical cancer care. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of implementing an electronic PROM (ePROM) platform to measure HRQoL in children with cancer. PROCEDURE: A multicenter mixed-methods feasibility study was conducted over 12 months with children aged 5-12 years diagnosed with cancer, their parents, and their clinicians. Participants completed age-appropriate child self-report and parent-proxy report pediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQL) generic core scales using a web-based platform at key clinical milestones. Clinicians were provided with access to HRQoL outcomes. Parents and clinicians completed evaluation surveys, including the system usability scale (SUS), at 6 months to assess usability and acceptability. RESULTS: A total of 91 participants were enrolled, including 37 children, 37 parents, and 17 clinicians. Overall, 85% of all administered PROMs were completed by at least the child or parent respondent, yielding a total of 175 PROMs. Children completed 88% of scheduled PROMs, whereas parents completed 62%. Evaluation surveys were completed by 17 parents and 6 clinicians. The mean SUS score was 88.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 11.5), indicating high usability. All responding parents rated the platform as child friendly and said that the PROM captured important aspects of their child's HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Routine assessment of HRQoL using an ePROM platform was feasible, acceptable, and usable for children aged 5-12 years with cancer. Preliminary evidence suggesting clinical utility supports the need for future implementation-effectiveness studies.

Source: Pediatric Blood & Cancer

DOI: 10.1002/1545-5017.70234