About this trial
Individuals with Intellectual disability face numerous barriers to cancer education, awareness and screening, including communication challenges, anxiety, and a lack of accessible educational resources. Traditional methods often fail to meet their unique learning needs, contributing to lower screening rates , delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes..
Socially assistive robots, have demonstrated effectiveness in delivering interactive, engaging, and tailored education, helping individuals with cognitive impairments better understand medical procedures and the importance of preventive care.
The study investigators propose to conduct a pilot single arm clinical trial with a semi humanoid robot to deliver cancer awareness education to adults with intellectual disability attending a disability day service in Ireland .The semi humanoid robot will be programmed to engage in 2 way communication about the cancer related educational content that is uploaded on its system.
.Approximately 25 adults with ID will receive the robot led educational intervention addressing both breast and colorectal cancer awareness and screening. This a pragmatic pilot study to inform a future larger controlled clinical trial Our overall objective is to Improve breast and colorectal cancer awareness knowledge level among adults with ID receiving a robot-delivered education intervention
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Adults (≥18 years) with an intellectual disability requiring any level of support needs.
Able to provide informed consent, or where capacity is limited, able to assent with decision support in line
Attending the disability service day center.
Sufficient receptive/expressive communication (with supports) to participate in interactive sessions
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Robot delivered Education
Other interventionTwo Pepper Robot educational sessions , each approx. 10-15 minutes in duration delivered within a 2-week window, to small groups (2-5) or individually if needed, to people with intellectual disability Breast cancer awareness and breast examination training will be delivered via the robot pepper. Participants will use the breast examination mannequin and also the breast awareness shower card to enhance learning about performing self breast -examination Colorectal cancer awareness information and red flag symptoms will also be delivered via pepper
Treatment groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Change in cancer awareness knowledge score range from pre- to post-intervention (immediate),
Easy-read Knowledge Questionnaire (breast \& bowel awareness, 10-15 items each, pictorial supports, multiple choice/true-false.
Secondary outcomes
Anxiety level related to checking for red flag symptoms (pre/post) using a 5-point visual faces scale validated/adapted for ID populations
Visual Faces Anxiety Scale (3 -point) will measure anxiety levels
Intention to check for red flag symptoms (pre/post) on a 5-point pictorial Likert scale.
Smiley face Likert scale (1-5) will measure assessment of intention to check for red flag symptoms and conduct self breast examinations (3)
Participant experience of the semi-humanoid robot to deliver the educational program via short structured questionnaire.
Participant Experience Smiley Face Survey will be used to assess the participants in using the semi humanoid robot Pepper to deliver cancer awareness education
Participant acceptability of the semi-humanoid robot to deliver the educational program via short structured questionnaire.
Smiley Face Survey will be used to assess the participants acceptability in using the semi humanoid robot Pepper to deliver cancer awareness education.
Sponsors and contacts
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National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Lead sponsor
Brothers of Charity Services Galway Ireland
Collaborator
University College Hospital Galway
Collaborator
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