Improving PRO for Patients With Cancer Using ECAs and Data Visualization

Part of paid clinical trials in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sponsor
Tufts Medical Center
Study ID
NCT05948618
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

  • Cancer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Embodied Conversational Agent — BEHAVIORAL
    The ECA- PRO measures will included PROMIS Profile measures, which include depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain intensity, and interference, fatigue, sleep disturbance, physical function, and satisfaction with social roles. In order to reduce boredom and confusion, equivalent forms of different items will be selected from the items pools. In this way, participants are not answering the same questions twice within one session.
  • REDCap Survey — BEHAVIORAL
    An internet-based measure will use PROMIS Profile measures which will include depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain intensity and interference, sleep disturbance, physical function and satisfaction with social role

Study Details

Over the past decade, the investigators have developed and tested a toll with the potential to enhance PROs at the individual level- embodied conversational agents (ECA), which are computer characters that simulate face-to-face conversation using voice, hand gestures, gaze cues, and other nonverbal behavior. The investigators have successfully used ECAs in behavioral interventions for populations with limited health literacy, elderly patients, and patients with cancer. Face-to-face encounters, in conjunction with written instructions supported by pictures, remains one of the best methods for communicating information in general but is particularly effective for individuals with limited health literacy. The investigators have also demonstrated that ECAs can be used as valid alternatives to standard paper-based surveys for substance use screening, and that the display of empathy for patients and other relational behavior by ECAs leads to increased engagement by patients over time.

Key Dates

Start date
Nov 24, 2025
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2026
Completion
Sep 30, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
100 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • Experimental: Embodied Conversational Agent
    The ECA systems compromises 1) a smartphone based ECA patient interface; 2) clinician authoring tool, to enable new measurement systems to be rapidly configured 3) clinician and patient data visualizations; and 4) a central server with relation database, administrative user interfaces and ability to send asynchronous notifications to users' smartphones.
  • Active Comparator: RedCap Survey
    An internet-based measure will use PROMIS Profile measures which will include depression, anxiety, fatigue, pain intensity and interference, sleep disturbance, physical function and satisfaction with social role

Primary Outcome Measure

The degree of missing data will be investigated to gauge the extent to which patients are actively engaging with the ECA-PRO system. [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Boston Medical CenterBostonMassachusetts02118-

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By research site
Boston Medical Center· Boston, MA

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