The Implementation of a Mobile APP for Cancer Care Management at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute

Abstract

There is increasing recognition of the potential to use mobile health (mHealth) technologies such as smartphone apps to support clinical care. Mobile apps are progressively being implemented to manage chronic diseases like cancer to improve patient care. The app deployed at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute enables patients to access the appointments/exam booking, medication prescription, and cancer-prevent educational resources, improving self-management, autonomy, and cancer treatment outcomes in resource-limited environments. Despite acknowledging the importance of mHealth, research is still scarce regarding patients’ views on using these innovations in cancer care management.

Mobile-Based Application Interventions to Enhance Cancer Control and Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

“…The mean age was 52.57 ± 9.37. The studies were conducted across 10 countries, namely: China [ 38 , 39 , 41 , 45 , 47 ]; Iran [ 40 , 42 , 51 , 53 ]; Brazil [ 43 , 48 , 54 ]; Malaysia [ 36 , 37 ]; Bangladesh [ 50 ]; India [ 52 ]; Indonesia [ 44 ]; Tanzania [ 46 ]; Taiwan [ 55 ]; and Madagascar [ 49 ] (see Table 1 ). Figure 2 shows the geographical distribution of the identified studies.…”

“…Majority of the studies ( n = 15) did not have a theoretical framework guiding the mAPP intervention design, implementation and/or evaluation. Identified mAPP interventions focused on breast cancer ( n = 6) [ 38 , 42 , 44 , 50 , 53 , 55 ], colorectal cancer ( n = 3) [ 37 , 40 , 51 ], cervical cancer ( n = 2) [ 49 , 52 ], skin cancer ( n = 2) [ 46 , 48 ], oesophageal cancer ( n = 1) [ 47 ], liver cancer ( n = 1) [ 41 ], prostate cancer ( n = 1) [ 45 ], paediatric cancers ( n = 1) [ 43 ] and general cancers ( n = 1) [ 54 ]. More than half ( n = 10) of the identified 18 mAPP interventions aimed at optimizing prevention, screening and early detection of cancer [ 36 , 37 , 42 – 46 , 48 – 50 , 52 ].…”

“…More than half ( n = 10) of the identified 18 mAPP interventions aimed at optimizing prevention, screening and early detection of cancer [ 36 , 37 , 42 – 46 , 48 – 50 , 52 ]. Almost one-third ( n = 5) of the mAPP interventions focused on improving supportive and palliative care for adults with cancer [ 38 , 40 , 47 , 53 , 55 ] and two mAPP interventions were designed to help people with cancer make informed treatment decisions and maintain autonomy [ 41 , 54 ]. Only one mAPP intervention was developed and implemented to facilitate follow-up and survivorship care for people with colorectal cancer in Iran [ 51 ].…”

“…Nine of the mAPP interventions were compatible with only Android [ 37 , 40 – 44 , 50 , 53 , 55 ] and two were compatible with both Android and iPhone operating systems (iOS) [ 38 , 54 ]. Four of the mAPP interventions combined the features of both web-based and Android/iOS [ 46 , 48 – 50 ].…”

“…Key features of mAPP interventions to support people with cancer navigate treatment decision-making included: epidemiological information; laboratory examination information; treatment-related information; and patient-clinician interactive platform [ 41 , 54 ]. Findings from a quasi-experimental study from China revealed that participants in an mAPP intervention group named “Shared Decision-Making Assistant” had significantly higher decision preparation score (80.73 ± 8.16 vs. 63.84 ± 7.38; p = 0.001), decision self-efficacy score (87.75 ± 6.87 vs. 76.89 ± 13.46; p = 0.001), decision satisfaction score (25.68 ± 2.10 vs. 23.12 ± 3.91; p = 0.001) and knowledge of primary liver cancer treatment score (14.52 ± 1.91 vs. 12.72 ± 2.13; p = 0.001) than those of the control group [ 41 ].…”