Use of Mobile Devices to Help Cancer Patients Meet Their Information Needs in Non-Inpatient Settings: Systematic Review (Preprint)

Abstract

The use of mobile devices to help patients with cancer to meet their information needs in non-inpatient settings: A systematic review IntroductionIt is estimated that one in two people in Great Britain will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime [1]. In 2014, 357,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the UK and the rate of incidence is increasing [2]. However, survival rates have doubled in the UK in the last 40 years and so, for many, cancer is a chronic condition with which they live for many years. Subsequently, there has been a shift from inpatient to outpatient and community cancer care, where patients are required to manage their condition at home, away from regular supervision by clinicians. This change in care requires patients to take a more active role in their treatment and survivorship. Patients are often faced with an uncertain future, unfamiliar tests and procedures, complex decisions about treatment options, treatment-related side-effects and lifestyle changes. In order to take a more active role in their care, and to cope with and manage these changes to daily life, patients require relevant information [3,4]. Research has established that patients have a wide range of information needs throughout their illness. Reviews of these studies suggest that patients generally want information on the extent of the disease, likelihood of cure and prognosis, available treatments, side-effects of treatment, self-care and return to normal life [5][6][7]. Other, less urgent, information needs include the impact of cancer and/or treatment on social activities, family and friends, mental wellbeing and sexual activity, and the risk of family and friends getting cancer [5,6]. There is evidence to suggest that information may help to reduce uncertainty, provide patients with a sense of control over their lives and support informed decision-making about treatment options [8,9]. While many people with cancer want as much information as possible about their condition [10], up to 93% of cancer patients across the US, Europe and the UK report having unmet information needs [11][12][13][14].The introduction of Smart technology has provided a new platform for delivering information-based interventions to patients. Approximately 93% of adults in the UK now personally own or use a mobile phone, of whom 71% specify that they own a Smartphone [15]. Similarly, over two thirds of adults in the UK now own or have access to a tablet computer [15]. Similar statistics of Smart device ownership and use have been reported in cancer patient populations [16,17]. Mobile devices therefore offer the potential for wide reach at the point of need for patients with cancer. Several existing systematic and scoping reviews have explored the general use of mobile devices for patients with cancer [18][19][20][21][22][23]. Findings from these reviews show that mobile interventions have been developed for a range of purposes, including the prevention, detection, and management of cancer; however, most interventions have been designed...