WeChat app-based reinforced education improves the quality of opioid titration treatment of cancer-related pain in outpatients: a randomized control study

Abstract

Background: As inadequate pain communication contributes to difficulties in optimizing outcomes of outpatients, we investigated the effect of reinforced education using WeChat App to the opioid titration treatment of cancerrelated pain in the outpatient setting. Methods: We conducted a prospective study to compare reinforced education using Wechat with care as usual from February to December 2019. Patients in the reinforced education group received reinforced education via Wechat, while those in the control group received care as usual. Effect measurements for both groups are carried out with questionnaires at the baseline and 3 days later. Questionnaires include pain intensity (NRS), treatmentrelated adverse events, cancer-related quality of life (QOL), sleep (PSQI), satisfaction, anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9). Number of patients whose NRS reduced to less than three points in 24 h was the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included treatment-related adverse events, cancer-related quality of life, sleep, satisfaction, anxiety and depression. Results: Although there was no significant difference regarding pain intensity (NRS) between the two groups at 72 h, the rate of NRS that reduced to less than three points in 24 h was significantly higher in the Wechat group than in the control group. Patients' satisfaction was significantly higher in the Wechat group than in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the other findings at 72 h, including pain intensity (NRS), cancer-related quality of life (QOL), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and sleep (PSQI). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups for constipation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, somnolence, pruritus, loss of consciousness, and death.

Effect of Mobile Phone App–Based Interventions on Quality of Life and Psychological Symptoms Among Adult Cancer Survivors: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…A total of 80% (24/30) of the studies [16,19,[25][26][27][28][29][30][33][34][35][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49] involving 4822 participants used various scales to report the outcome of QOL. Of these 24 studies, 8 (33%) [19,26,27,37,39,40,42,43] focused on patients with breast cancer, and the other 16 (67%) included patients with multiple types of cancer (such as breast cancer, brain cancer, and prostate cancer).…”

“…Owing to the significant heterogeneity among the studies (P<.001; I 2 =77%), the results were pooled using a random-effects model. Overall, the mHealth app interventions significantly improved cancer-related QOL scores (SMD=0.39, 95% CI 0.27-0.51; P<.001; Figure 3 [16,19,[25][26][27][28][29][30][33][34][35][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]). We conducted subgroup analyses according to intervention duration, type of cancer, intervention theory, treatment strategy, and intervention delivery format to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity.…”

“…We conducted subgroup analyses according to intervention duration, type of cancer, intervention theory, treatment strategy, and intervention delivery format to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Pooled results for the short-term (≤3 months) follow-up period suggested that mHealth app medical interventions were effective in improving QOL (SMD <3 months =0.41, 95% CI 0.26-0.57; P=.001; SMD 3 to 12 months =0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.57; P=.001; Table 2 and Multimedia Appendix 3 [16,19,[25][26][27][28][29][30][33][34][35][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]). When studies were grouped by type of cancer, the results showed that mHealth app interventions may improve cancer-related QOL scores across cancer types (SMD Breast cancer =0.42, 95% CI 0.21-0.63; P<.001; SMD Various cancers =0.38, 95% CI 0.23-0.53; P=.001; Table 2 and Multimedia Appendix 4 [16,19,[25][26][27][28][29][30][33][34][35][37][38][39][40][41][42]…”

Effect of WeChat-Based Health Education Combined with Satir Model on Self-Management Behaviors and Social Adaptation in Colorectal Cancer Patients during the Perioperative Period

“…It is free of charge, works in real time, and is easy to operate. The study by Zhang et al has confirmed that WeChat is a good tool to improve the health knowledge level of patients and that it is beneficial for enhancing the perioperative nursing management of the nursing personnel [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Effect of probiotics supplementation combined with WeChat platform health management on nutritional status, inflammatory factors, and quality of life in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis: a randomized trial

“…The WeChat platform is widely used in various fields. The medical applications of the platform have mainly involved health management issues such as disease feedback, diet intervention, and behavior education, and many researchers have used the WeChat platform to manage the health of patients to achieve positive results (6)(7)(8). However, a probiotic supplement project based on WeChat platform for patients with mild to moderate UC has not been reported nationally and internationally to date.…”