SWK-04. A MOBILE AUGMENTED REALITY APP FOR SURGICAL PREPARATION FOR CHILDREN WITH BRAIN TUMORS

BACKGROUND: Children with brain tumors experience significant anxiety secondary to diagnosis and interventions such as surgical management. Preoperative anxiety is known to adversely affect operative outcomes and overall quality of life. Programs that utilize “child-friendly” approaches have been shown to ease anxiety, decrease analgesic requirements, shorten hospital stay, and contribute toward better outcomes. Implementation of these programs is limited due to time, cost, and staffing constraints as well as sociodemographic factors (i.e., language barriers). Therefore, an effective and cost-efficient method could be advantageous. We sought to develop a universally available APP that can assist with these goals and address the current barriers. METHODS: In conjunction with a philanthropic resource (Brain Tumor Foundation, New York, NY, USA) a developer was tasked with creating an App for children with brain tumors. The developer integrated published clinical research, multi-specialty input, and patient and family testimonials for possible integration into the tool. RESULTS: A mobile App was developed that is modifiable for patient-specific features (age, language, and ethnicity). Initial evaluations of the prototype by healthcare providers, appropriately aged children, and their parents have demonstrated positive engagement, appeal, and ease of use. CONCLUSIONS: The mobile App provides a rapid, affordable, and modifiable platform for assisting children with brain tumors cope with their diagnosis and intervention options. Validation with measurable outcomes is planned. The App is currently being evaluated for purposes of psycho-social clinical research tool.