An observational study in Cancer and Cancer Survivors, sponsored by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 22 Years to 39 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center · Observational
This study used one-on-one interviews to understand young adults' with cancer positive and negative in-person social interactions and thoughts about social media messages that encourage in-person interactions with people they barely know. Young adults with cancer (ages 22-39) shared their reactions to mock social media posts and images and described recent in-person interactions with strangers and acquaintances to inform the design of intervention messages, personal stories, and behavioral tips.
Participants completed a single, 60-minute semi-structured interview on Zoom following a standardized guide in three parts: 1) sharing a recent positive experience; 2) describing recent in-person interactions with acquaintances and with strangers, including emotional responses, comfort, and experiences discussing their cancer; and 3) reviewing and giving feedback on three image sets (peers experiencing loneliness, peers experiencing connectedness, and spaces where connection could occur) and two mock intervention messages shown as social media posts with a personal story, intervention text, and behavioral tips.
10,818 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,324 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 33 is below the median of 200 across 2,638 observational studies indexed under Neoplasms.
Browse Neoplasms studies →UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 429 studies on the registry; 97 are open to participants now.
Of its 33 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 26 (79%) have results posted.
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Participants diagnosed with cancer at ages 15-39 who are currently ages 22-39.
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Exclusion Criteria:
All participants completed a 60-minute semi-structured interview on Zoom, describing recent in-person interactions with strangers and acquaintances and giving feedback on image sets and mock social media intervention messages.
Behavioral: Semi-structured interview
60-minute semi-structured interview with review of three image sets (loneliness, connectedness, spaces) and two mock intervention messages (connected peer general story, lonely peer cancer story).
Themes in Reactions to Mock Intervention Messages and Images (Semi-Structured Interview Guide; Thematic Analysis)
Using a standardized semi-structured interview guide, participants reviewed three image sets (peers experiencing loneliness, peers experiencing connectedness, and spaces where connection could occur) and two mock intervention messages formatted as social media posts. Participants described what they liked most and least, what caught their attention, whether the images and posts conveyed their intended meaning, and whether the posts might motivate in-person interactions. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Two coders independently coded each transcript using a thematic analysis framework with an a priori codebook (refined after initial coding), and disagreements were resolved by consensus.
Time frame: Baseline, During a single 60-minute interview
Themes in In-Person Interactions With Strangers and Acquaintances (Semi-Structured Interview Guide; Thematic Analysis)
Using a standardized semi-structured interview guide, participants described recent in-person interactions with acquaintances and with strangers (asked separately), including where the interaction occurred, how it made them feel, situations that made them comfortable, and experiences discussing their cancer. Transcripts were coded for positive and negative social interactions using the same thematic analysis approach. Themes were used to inform intervention message themes, personal stories, and behavioral tips.
Time frame: Baseline, During a single 60-minute interview
Preferred Social Media Platforms for Intervention Messages (Semi-Structured Interview Guide; Thematic Analysis)
Using a standardized semi-structured interview guide, participants were asked on which social media platforms they would expect to see posts like the mock intervention messages and whether and how they would share them. Platform preferences were coded and summarized using the same thematic analysis approach.
Time frame: Baseline, During a single 60-minute interview
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified transcripts can be made available upon request secondary to ethics approval.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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