Protocol for the Development and Initial Validation of the COG-IMPACT Tool: A Purpose-Built Unmet Needs Assessment for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment

Darren Haywood; Moira O'Connor; Frank D Baughman; Alexandre Chan; Raymond J Chan; Evan Dauer; Haryana M Dhillon; Ashley M Henneghan; Blake J Lawrence; Maryam Lustberg; Janette L Vardy; Susan L Rossell; Nicolas H Hart

doi:10.3390/mps7040054

Protocol for the Development and Initial Validation of the COG-IMPACT Tool: A Purpose-Built Unmet Needs Assessment for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment

Methods Protoc. 2024 Jul 10;7(4):54. doi: 10.3390/mps7040054.

Authors

Darren Haywood^{1

2

3

4}, Moira O'Connor⁴, Frank D Baughman⁴, Alexandre Chan⁵, Raymond J Chan^{6

7}, Evan Dauer^{1

2}, Haryana M Dhillon^{8

9}, Ashley M Henneghan^{10

11}, Blake J Lawrence⁴, Maryam Lustberg¹², Janette L Vardy¹³, Susan L Rossell^{2

14}, Nicolas H Hart^{1

15

16

17

18}

Affiliations

¹ Human Performance Research Centre, INSIGHT Research Institute, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Moore Park, NSW 2021, Australia.
² Department of Mental Health, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
⁴ School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia.
⁵ School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92619, USA.
⁶ School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD 4059, Australia.
⁷ Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
⁸ Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, Psycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
⁹ Centre for Medical Psychology & Evidence-Based Decision-Making, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
¹⁰ School of Nursing, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
¹¹ Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78701, USA.
¹² School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
¹³ Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
¹⁴ Centre for Mental Health and Brain Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia.
¹⁵ Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia.
¹⁶ Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
¹⁷ Exercise Medicine Research Institute, School of Medical and Health Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia.
¹⁸ Institute for Health Research, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia.

Abstract

(1) Background: A significant proportion of cancer survivors report experiencing a cognitive 'fog' that affects their ability to think coherently and quickly, and reason with clarity. This has been referred to as cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). CRCI has extensive impacts on the daily lives of people living with or beyond cancer, including occupational, social, and psychological functioning. Oncology health professionals report feeling under-resourced to effectively assess the needs of an individual with CRCI and then provide optimal care and referral. (2) Methods: The objective of this project is to develop and provide an initial validation of the first purpose-built unmet needs assessment for CRCI: the Unmet Needs Assessment of Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment Impact (COG-IMPACT). We will use a multiple-stage, co-design, mixed-methods approach to develop and provide an initial validation of the COG-IMPACT. (3) Results: The primary anticipated result of this research is the production of the COG-IMPACT, the first purpose-built unmet needs assessment for CRCI. The assessment could be used by health professionals to understand the unmet needs and facilitate optimal care and referral for cancer survivors, by survivors to elucidate their supportive needs and advocate for their care, and by researchers to examine the correlates of unmet needs relating to CRCI, as well as how best to support people with CRCI.

Keywords: cancer fog; cancer survivors; cancer-related cognitive impairment; challenges; health professionals; measure development; mixed methods; qualitative; quality of life; unmet needs.

Grants and funding

N/A/Mazda Foundation