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

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the patient’s perception of the usefulness and limitations of a mobile application as part of the supportive care provided to patients undergoing radiotherapy. Methods: Patients undergoing radiotherapy between February 2023 and March 2023 at a local oncology hospital (n = 150) were invited to complete a questionnaire that assessed the patient’s smartphone knowledge, willingness to use an app during radiotherapy, perceptions of the usefulness of specific app features, and barriers to using such applications. For quantitative analysis, frequencies were obtained for all areas of interest, and the results were correlated with the patient’s demographics. Results: Of the 39 participants who completed the questionnaire, 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. Conclusion: Overall, the findings indicate that most patients have access to mobile technology and are willing to use the mobile app as an additional supportive care tool.