Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a significant but understudied concern among parents of childhood cancer survivors. This study quantitatively characterized parental FCR and explored potential demographic and clinical correlates among parents of children treated for cancer. Parents (N = 192) completed the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Parent Short Form (FCRI-Parent) and provided demographic information. Clinical variables were obtained from medical chart review. Associations between FCR and demographic or clinical variables were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVAs, and Pearson’s correlations. Parents reported a mean FCR score of 18.64 (SD = 8.73), with 42.2% of parents endorsing FCR above a score of 22. Parental FCR significantly varied by parent race, education, and spirituality. Higher FCR was also significantly negatively correlated with child age, time since diagnosis, and time since treatment completion. Parents of children with central nervous system tumors or hematological malignancies endorsed significantly higher FCR compared to parents of children with solid tumors. Findings build on previously identified psychosocial needs for parents of children treated for cancer by quantitatively describing parental FCR and exploring subgroups that may be at increased risk for FCR. Tailored interventions, including strategies that support spiritual coping, may help mitigate FCR among at-risk parents.

While participant recruitment via social media is increasingly used, its cost-effectiveness remains unclear for pregnancy cohorts, especially across social media platforms and in the context of increasing threats from web robots (i.e., bots) and fraudulent participants. Accordingly, we report on the implementation and results of online recruitment for a longitudinal cohort study about mental health in pregnancy and postpartum (Experiences of Pregnancy (EoP)). We describe: (1) the cost-effectiveness of Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Twitter/X for recruiting individuals in their first trimester (2) methods, experiences, and solutions for preventing bots and fraudulent participants (3) the representativeness of EoP compared to the United States (US) population and pregnancy cohorts recruited in person. Over 2.5 months (beginning June 2023), 574 participants were recruited at an advertising cost of US$6.19 per participant. Social media recruitment was highly time-efficient compared to in-person recruitment, reaching comparable sample sizes in 1/10th of the time. However, a range of safeguards to counter bots and fraudulent participants had to be implemented, resulting in 995 staff hours during recruitment. EoP also allowed reaching individuals without access to prenatal care but was not representative of the US population, suggesting stratified sampling would be needed to reach representativeness with online recruitment.

Background Longitudinal patterns and predictors of perinatal mental health service use (MHSU) remain unclear. Thus, the present study examined patterns and predictors of MHSU in pregnancy and postpartum in a general population of pregnant individuals.Methods Data from the Experiences of Pregnancy cohort study were used. Participants were recruited in their first trimester of pregnancy and followed each trimester and once postpartum (M = 9.37, SD = 2.62 weeks postpartum), with MHSU measured each time. Sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, and labor/delivery experience were also collected.Results 45.5% of participants used mental health services during pregnancy. Individual counseling/therapy and prescription medication were the most common services used. In univariate models, having less minors in the household, being white, identifying as LGBTQ+, as well as higher depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with higher odds of MHSU in pregnancy – all but depression remained significant in multivariate models. 31.0% of participants who used services in pregnancy had stopped MHSU postpartum. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, desisting from MHSU was predicted by being younger, identifying as cisgender heterosexual, and a more positive labor and delivery experience. 14.6% of participants who did not use services in pregnancy initiated MHSU postpartum, which was predicted by higher depression and anxiety symptoms.Discussion Sociodemographic, psychosocial, and identity factors predict perinatal MHSU beyond the effect of mental health symptoms, suggesting a need for accessible mental health services as well as for mental health screening during pregnancy and postpartum.