Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer report psychological challenges and social isolation. Peer support has been shown to be a valuable resource for coping with these experiences. The aim of this study was through co-creation map the needs for peer support among AYA cancer patients in Sweden; and building on these results to develop and test a prototype of a digital tool for peer support.
Method: The study was conducted in co-creation in a team consisting of AYA cancer patients, researchers, and a health tech company in Sweden. Through interviews the needs for emotional support were investigated. Based on this information, a prototype of a digital platform for peer support was co-created by the team. The platform was tested and evaluated through an online survey and follow-up interviews as part of the development process.
Results: AYAs expressed feelings of loneliness and a desire to process their cancer experiences with peers. A prerequisite for a digital platform for peer support was the assurance of a high degree of security. Piloting the prototype, 87% reported feeling secure, all participants found it valuable to interact with peers on the platform. In the follow-up interviews, AYAs emphasizing the need to simplify this process while maintaining stringent security measures.
Conclusion: Co-creating tools for support together with AYAs ensures relevance and usability. A secure digital platform for peer support represents a complement to other existing forms of support. The presence of moderators was found to enhance security. Further development of the platform's log-in procedure is necessary.
Keywords: Adolescents; Cancer; Digital peer support; Emotional support; Young adults.
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