Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring
Abstract Mobile phone applications (“apps”) are potentially an effective, low-burden method to collect patient-reported outcomes outside the clinical setting. Using such apps consistently and in a timely way is critical for complete and accurate data capture, but no studies of concurrent reporting b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53373-w |
| _version_ | 1797274813360766976 |
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| author | Reem Yunis Stephanie J. Fonda Sara Aghaee Ai Kubo Sharon W. Davis Raymond Liu Elad Neeman Ingrid Oakley-Girvan |
| author_facet | Reem Yunis Stephanie J. Fonda Sara Aghaee Ai Kubo Sharon W. Davis Raymond Liu Elad Neeman Ingrid Oakley-Girvan |
| author_sort | Reem Yunis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mobile phone applications (“apps”) are potentially an effective, low-burden method to collect patient-reported outcomes outside the clinical setting. Using such apps consistently and in a timely way is critical for complete and accurate data capture, but no studies of concurrent reporting by cancer patient–caregiver dyads have been published in the peer-reviewed literature. This study assessed app engagement, defined as adherence, timing, and attrition with two smartphone applications, one for adult cancer patients and one for their informal caregivers. This was a single-arm, pilot study in which adult cancer patients undergoing IV chemotherapy or immunotherapy used the DigiBioMarC app, and their caregivers used the TOGETHERCare app, for approximately one month to report weekly on the patients’ symptoms and wellbeing. Using app timestamp metadata, we assessed user adherence, overall and by participant characteristics. Fifty patient–caregiver dyads completed the study. Within the one-month study period, both adult cancer patients and their informal caregivers were highly adherent, with app activity completion at 86% for cancer patients and 84% for caregivers. Caregivers completed 86% of symptom reports, while cancer patients completed 89% of symptom reports. Cancer patients and their caregivers completed most activities within 48 h of availability on the app. These results suggest that the DigiBioMarC and TOGETHERCare apps can be used to collect patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes data during intensive treatment. From our research, we conclude that metadata from mobile apps can be used to inform clinical teams about study participants' engagement and wellbeing outside the clinical setting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:04:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d744788a1154a2888420444840e376e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:04:27Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d744788a1154a2888420444840e376e2024-03-05T18:59:18ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-02-011411910.1038/s41598-024-53373-wMobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoringReem Yunis0Stephanie J. Fonda1Sara Aghaee2Ai Kubo3Sharon W. Davis4Raymond Liu5Elad Neeman6Ingrid Oakley-Girvan7Strategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc.Estenda Solutions, Inc.Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaDivision of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaStrategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc.Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaSan Rafael Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaStrategy and Science Departments, Medable Inc.Abstract Mobile phone applications (“apps”) are potentially an effective, low-burden method to collect patient-reported outcomes outside the clinical setting. Using such apps consistently and in a timely way is critical for complete and accurate data capture, but no studies of concurrent reporting by cancer patient–caregiver dyads have been published in the peer-reviewed literature. This study assessed app engagement, defined as adherence, timing, and attrition with two smartphone applications, one for adult cancer patients and one for their informal caregivers. This was a single-arm, pilot study in which adult cancer patients undergoing IV chemotherapy or immunotherapy used the DigiBioMarC app, and their caregivers used the TOGETHERCare app, for approximately one month to report weekly on the patients’ symptoms and wellbeing. Using app timestamp metadata, we assessed user adherence, overall and by participant characteristics. Fifty patient–caregiver dyads completed the study. Within the one-month study period, both adult cancer patients and their informal caregivers were highly adherent, with app activity completion at 86% for cancer patients and 84% for caregivers. Caregivers completed 86% of symptom reports, while cancer patients completed 89% of symptom reports. Cancer patients and their caregivers completed most activities within 48 h of availability on the app. These results suggest that the DigiBioMarC and TOGETHERCare apps can be used to collect patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes data during intensive treatment. From our research, we conclude that metadata from mobile apps can be used to inform clinical teams about study participants' engagement and wellbeing outside the clinical setting.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53373-w |
| spellingShingle | Reem Yunis Stephanie J. Fonda Sara Aghaee Ai Kubo Sharon W. Davis Raymond Liu Elad Neeman Ingrid Oakley-Girvan Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring Scientific Reports |
| title | Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| title_full | Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| title_fullStr | Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| title_short | Mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| title_sort | mobile app activity engagement by cancer patients and their caregivers informs remote monitoring |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53373-w |
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