Dealing with cancer is extremely difficult. While people try to remain somewhat positive and active, cancer inevitably decreases their quality of life. A new study led by University of Sydney revealed that digital means of support can help breast cancer patients to see improvements in quality of life, as well as reductions in stress and fatigue.
Digital health support systems improve the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors. Image credit: jfcherry via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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Cancer is a lot about management, which is extremely difficult. While cancer therapies came a long way, it is still an extremely serious condition, which inflicts a lot of physical and emotional pain. However, websites, apps, and other digital resources may help stay on top of health management as well as achieve a better quality of life.
Scientists analysed clinical trials in 11 countries involving over 4,500 breast cancer patients. They were using evidence-based websites, mobile apps or text messaging services as digital means of support. Study revealed that these resources improved quality of life, self-efficacy, stress and fatigue for breast cancer patients and survivors. In many cases, these digital support means are lead by survivors, but scientists said that having a doctor or cancer expert available to answer questions via usual digital means of communication was important for participants in this study. Researchers also found that patients were overwhelmingly satisfied with available websites – 71-95 % of participants found these websites useful and about the same number of people found them easy to use.
The importance of digital support in healthcare situations was highlighted by COVID-19 pandemic. Because of lockdowns healthcare institutions became more difficult to reach and many services did move to the internet. While people are happy that in many places in the world they can finally have face-to-face appointments, some of the lessons should be retained.
Dr Anna Singleton, lead author of the study, said: “The health and digital landscape is shifting rapidly, and we found that breast cancer survivors felt having the option of evidence-based digital resources made them have a greater connection to, and more control over, their health.”
Scientists stress that digital health support systems are as important after cancer as well. Treatments are exhausting and even when the cancer is gone it is important to know how to take care of your healing body and mind.
The sheer volume of information online is often overwhelming. You can google all you want, but in the end understanding that information and finding what is valuable to you is always going to be difficult. That’s why means of digital support – websites, mobile apps or simple means of communication – are such a huge improvement to cancer patients.
Source: University of Sydney