Patients' perspective on the use of mobile applications for the provision of supportive care in radiotherapy

Abstract

Purpose: Mobile health (mHealth) is increasingly being used to provide supportive care to cancer patients in oncology hospitals. This study aimed to investigate the patient’s perception of the usefulness and limitations of a mobile application (app) as part of the supportive care provided to patients undergoing radiotherapy at a local oncology hospital. Methodology: Patients undergoing radiotherapy between 2nd February to 6th April 2023 were invited to complete a self-designed questionnaire by an intermediary to assess the patient’s smartphone knowledge and usage habits, as well as their willingness to use a mobile application while undergoing radiotherapy. The patient's perception of the usefulness of specific features (information provider, appointment manager, and symptom tracker) and the barriers to using such applications was assessed through a Likert scale ranging from 1 (Not useful) to 5 (Extremely useful). Frequencies were generated for all areas of interest for quantitative analysis, and the findings were correlated with the patient’s demographics. Results: A total of 39 patients completed the questionnaire. Of the 39 participants, 82.1% had a smartphone device, 59% could use their smartphones with minimal to no help, and 41% had not used their smartphones for medical purposes before. However, 79.5% of patients showed a strong interest in using a mobile app during radiotherapy. Age, gender, and level of education had no significant impact on the acceptability of using the mobile application for radiotherapy purposes. The most highly rated feature was the doctor alert feature on the symptom tracker (3.05), followed by the appointment manager (3.03), and the contact feature for after treatment completion (2.95) . Concerns regarding data security were voiced by 51.2% of patients. Conclusion: The use of a mobile application as part of the supportive care provided to patients undergoing radiotherapy is well-received by patients and should therefore be implemented as part of the routine clinical practice of the local oncology hospital.