The research focuses on the psychosocial effects of chronic illness – including childhood cancer – during the childhood years. There is still a lack of knowledge on the psychosocial functioning of children, adolescents and young adults growing up with a chronic illness. To develop and implement tailor-made pediatric psychosocial care permanent research on the risk factors affecting individual patient systems and families is required. We are further developing questionnaires and systems in order to identify problems at an early age and stage. The research will increasingly rely on web-based applications. A case in point would be the digital KLIK (www.hetklikt.nu) method, designed to systematically track the quality of life and development of chronically ill children and integrate results in the clinical practice. We will also further develop and evaluate (online) interventions for chronically ill children to help them learn to cope with their condition more effectively. Online interventions for siblings and parents are part of this development as well (www.opkoersonline.nl). The research is all described on www.zorgvoorhetziekekind.nl
Themes: Oncology and Public Health