Randomized Controlled Trial of a E-intervention to Help Patients Newly Diagnosed With Cancer Cope Better: Pilot Study
Randomized Controlled Trial of a E-intervention to Help Patients Newly Diagnosed With Cancer Cope Better: Pilot Study
Informed by a previous trial in general cancer patients, the investigators aim to conduct a
 multi-centre Phase III explanatory RCT to demonstrate a significant impact of PTSD Coach on
 levels of anxiety in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, including saliva and hair cortisol
 as bio-immunological indicators for stress. However, prior to proposing a larger trial
 requiring 267 patients, the investigators aim to demonstrate feasibility of recruitment and
 compliance with protocol procedures in a Phase II Pilot of 60 newly diagnosed HNC patients.
 The EG will receive PTSD Coach + usual care, compared to two control groups (UC and AC). AC
 will be comprised of a game app (e.g., Tetris, Candy Crush, or Solitaire) and will be
 structurally equivalent to the EG to control for distraction (attention on something pleasant
 or a task) and the human factor involved in usage prompting (i.e., same exposure time +
 contacts with personnel), since either distraction or the human contact with staff may,
 alone, lower anxiety. From a resource allocation perspective, it is important to know if the
 positive effects of PTSD Coach are due to the intervention itself or to the use of an app and
 its usage prompting. The investigators believe that PTSD Coach will be even more effective at
 reducing anxiety in HNC patients, as it teaches specific CBT techniques and uses
 psychoeducation already found to be more effective than distraction alone.
See above
Inclusion Criteria:

 1. Newly diagnosed with HNC (all HNC sites; TNM classification system); first occurrence,
 progression or recurrence <4 weeks at referral.

 2. Willing to complete PTSD Coach or game app within 3 weeks as they await treatment
 onset.

 3. >18 years old

 4. Alert and capable of giving free and informed consent according to referring
 clinician.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 1. Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score < 60 (rated by referring oncologists/nurses
 or Research Coordinator) or expected survival <6 months according to clinical judgment
 of physicians and/or nurses.

 2. Suicidal. Present a score of ≥2 on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) suicide item.

 3. Known diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.