Jennifer N Stinson*, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Sara Ahola Kohut, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Lynn Spiegel, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Khush Amaria, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Mary Bell, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto, Canada Fiona Campbell, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Paula Forgeron, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada Miriam Kaufman, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Nadia Luca, Alberta Children's Hospital, Alberta, Canada Danielle Ruskin, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Margaret van Wyk, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada Track: Research Presentation Topic: e-Coaching Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2014-05-28

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Background: Childhood chronic illnesses can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQL). Many youth with these conditions face numerous barriers to accessing services and peer support including absence of services in many geographic areas, long wait lists and limited availability of trained professionals in non-urban centers. Youth frequently use the Internet in order to communicate with peers, to strengthen existing relationships or to develop new ones. Therefore, internet-based interventions provide an innovative approach to improve the accessibility of treatment programs for youth with chronic illness such as chronic pain and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Objective: To develop and examine the impact of a Skype-based peer-to-peer support program (VP2P) on health outcomes of adolescents with chronic pain and illness.

Methods: The online VP2P has been developed in a staged approach. First, a systematic review of peer supports for youth with chronic health conditions was conducted in order to highlight the essential components of successful interventions. Second, this information was used to develop the VP2P intervention. Third, a sample of English-speaking young adults with chronic pain and/or JIA aged 16-25 years old was screened and trained by the research team. Mentor training occurred over 2.5 days and covered topics based on our conceptual framework and focused on emotional, appraisal and informational support. Fourth, using a waitlist pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, these trained young adults are connecting with adolescents (12-18 years) learning to manage their symptoms. Forty consenting English-speaking adolescents aged 12-18 years from two clinic (Rheumatology and Chronic Pain) within one large paediatric tertiary hospital are currently being randomized to the two experimental (VP2P intervention; one JIA, one chronic pain) or two control (usual care; one JIA, one chronic pain) groups, n=20 in each group (n = 80 total). The experimental group will receive mentoring sessions consisting of 10 sessions of 30-45 minute Skype calls over eight weeks. This intervention provides social support (emotional, informational, and appraisal support), encouragement, and education for effective chronic illness self-management strategies. Outcome measures include program feasibility, physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, coping efficacy, self-efficacy, HRQL, social support, and self-management.

Results: Thirteen young adults were recruited and trained to be peer mentors (Chronic Pain: n= 7; mean age = 18.1, SD = 1.6; JIA: n= 6; mean age = 18.9, SD = 1.5). RCT data collection is ongoing with 26 completed participants (Chronic Pain: n = 13; JIA: n = 13) and 13 participants in progress (Chronic Pain: n = 5; JIA: n = 8). All participants who have completed the intervention program thus far (n=12) reported being actively engaged in the program (8.7± 1.1, range 0-10) and reported that they would strongly recommend the program to others. Final program feasibility and all outcome data will be presented for control and interventions groups in both JIA and Chronic Pain populations.

Conclusion: Initial qualitative data indicate that both mentees and mentors find the mentorship program meaningful and helpful in managing chronic pain and illness. Online peer support presents an opportunity to improve the access and acceptability of self-management and social support treatments of adolescents living with chronic illness.