Social Media and Mobile Technology for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Oral Cancer Knowledge: a Systematic Review

Oral cancer is prone to late-stage diagnosis, and subsequent low five-year survival rates. A small number of interventions or campaigns designed to enhance knowledge of risk factors and symptoms associated with oral cancer have been attempted in the UK, US, and some other countries. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve oral cancer knowledge. We searched five databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized/quasi-experimental (NR/QE) studies targeting the general population or high-risk groups (tobacco users or alcohol consumers), aged ≥15 years, and reporting the outcomes of individual and/or community level interventions. Two co-authors independently identified relevant studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, 27 (eight RCTs and 19 NR/QE studies) of the 551 studies identified from the five databases met the inclusion criteria. All RCTs and nine NR/QE studies used either printed materials, health education sessions, multimedia aids, or some combinations of these tools. The other ten NR/QE studies were community-based and used mass media campaigns to increase oral cancer awareness. Overall, the majority of studies significantly improved oral cancer knowledge; however, heterogeneity in study design and variation in measurement tools made it difficult to compare outcomes. Findings suggest that individual and/or community level interventions are generally effective in increasing knowledge of oral cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms, and/or its early diagnosis and prevention strategies among the general population or high-risk groups. However, the long-term benefits of these interventions are understudied.

The Application and Prospect of Mobile Health (mHealth) in Health Service for Older People Living Alone in Community: A Narrative Review

As a result of improvements in life expectancy and reductions in fertility rate, the increasing world population ageing brings huge challenges for both developed and developing countries. Such factors as fewer children, migration of children and widowhood further increase the number of older people living alone. Older adults prefer age in place, which means care in the home. As the main place older people live in, care in community absolutely needs more attention. Optimizing health services for the elderly living in community is of positive significance to health promotion and happiness enhancement. But the traditional health service for the elderly has drawbacks of poor timeliness and high labor cost. The rapid development of modern science and technology make it possible to apply mHealth in health service for the elderly. At present, mHealth is relatively mature in the communities of developed countries. This article presents the application of mHealth in many developed countries, as references for developing countries.

The Development and Prototype Feedback of Digital Cancer 101 Videos to Enhance Cancer Education for Marginalized Communities With Limited Health Literacy

Social media, in the form of digital videos targeted to people with limited health literacy, as well as disadvantaged or marginalized groups, may help reduce cancer health disparities and improve health outcomes in these populations. In this article, we document the process of adapting the content from the Cancer 101 curriculum to create animated scripts about the cancer care continuum that is clear, straightforward, and in plain language. The development of the Cancer 101 digital videos required a multidisciplinary collaboration from-public health, medicine, technology, and expertise in correctional health, smoking cessation, web development, video producers, and individuals directly impacted by cancer disparities. The Cancer 101 videos were showcased at a community health fair where the videos were viewed by attendants waiting to be seen by a medical provider. While waiting for their cancer screening, 13 individuals were selected and invited to watch all 11 videos totaling less than 60-minutes of viewing time. They included 3 Latina women, 2 Latino men, and 8 Haitian women. All participants were between the ages of 40-65 years old. Overall, participants agreed that they would recommend the videos to friends/family (M = 4.77, SD = 0.44) and that they plan to watch other video modules to learn more information about cancer (M = 4.72, SD = 0.47). Additionally, participants enjoyed the graphics and audio of the videos presented (M = 4.85, SD = 0.38). Furthermore, participants noted that Cancer 101 digital videos described cancer in plain language, leading to a better understanding of the disease. Future research is needed to implement Cancer 101 digital videos in healthcare clinics to increase cancer information and improve cancer screening rates in marginalized communities.

Look who's talking now: Cancer in primary care on Twitter. An observational study

Background

Twitter is a microblogging platform that helps share information. It is a dynamic tool that has been embraced by many user types including consumers and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Currently, there are no data on how cancer in primary care features on Twitter.

Aim

To explore the type of users and information shared about cancer in primary care on Twitter.

Design & setting

A descriptive exploratory study took place of publicly available Twitter data.

Method

Tweets were searched between July 2015 and June 2017 for ‘GP’, ‘general practice’, ‘primary care’, or ‘general practitioner’ in conjunction with ‘cancer’. A 20% random sample was coded for geographic location, user type, type of tweet, and theme. Tweet sentiment was analysed using R package sentimentr. Content that gained traction was compared by combining original tweets, retweets, favourites, and duration.

Results

There were a total of 3413 tweets from 1611 users in 44 countries. Consumers were the largest user group followed by health organisations, healthcare professionals, and the media. The most common theme across user types was diagnostic delay. Other themes that emerged included cancer screening, symptom awareness, and early diagnosis. Consumers published more negative tweets, particularly in relation to diagnostic delay. Health organisations focused on symptom awareness and screening. Over half of media tweets were stories that featured delayed diagnosis or screening.

Conclusion

A broad range of users engage with Twitter to share information about cancer in primary care. Content is different between user groups, but diagnostic delay and symptom awareness are common themes. Healthcare and professional organisations may need to consider approaches to counter negative messages about diagnostic delay.

My health smartphone intervention decreases daily fat sources among Latina breast cancer survivors

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Latina women, and Latina women are at higher risk for breast cancer mortality than white women. Lifestyle factors, such as consuming a nutritious diet and engaging in regular physical activity, promote health and are protective against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and breast cancer recurrence. Previous studies have developed and tested interventions for Latina breast cancer survivors to improve diet and increase physical activity, however, no studies to date have developed a smartphone delivered intervention. The purpose of the current study was to compare two Smartphone delivered interventions, My Health, which focused on diet and physical activity, and My Guide, which focused on psychosocial functioning, on dietary and physical activity outcomes, post-intervention, and at a 2-week follow-up assessment. Overall, participants receiving the My Health intervention reported a greater reduction in daily fat sources than the My Guide group over time. However, daily sources of fat did not differ between conditions. Walking, measured by estimated weekly metabolic equivalents, increased across time points in both groups. These preliminary findings suggest that eHealth interventions aimed at improving lifestyle factors may favorably impact nutritional intake and physical activity. Future research should utilize more comprehensive and objective measures of diet and physical activity, and incorporate more behavioral lifestyle components into the intervention in larger samples with a longer follow-up period.

Health literacy, digital health literacy and the implementation of digital health technologies in cancer care: the need for a strategic approach

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Digital health technologies can potentially reduce health disparities in cancer care. However, the benefits of digital health technology depend partly on users' digital health literacy, that is, "capabilities and resources required for individuals to use and benefit from digital health resources," which combines health and digital literacy. We examined issues for digital health technology implementation in cancer care regarding digital health literacy, via stakeholder consultation.

METHODS

Consumers, health care professionals, researchers, developers, nongovernment and government/policy stakeholders (N = 51) participated in focus groups/interviews discussing barriers, enablers, needs and opportunities for digital health implementation in cancer care. Researchers applied framework analysis to identify themes of digital health literacy in the context of disparity and inclusion.

RESULTS

Limited digital and traditional health literacy were identified as barriers to digital technology engagement, with a range of difficulties identified for older, younger and socio-economically or geographically disadvantaged groups. Digital health technology was a potential enabler of health care access and literacy, affording opportunities to increase reach and engagement. Education combined with targeted design and implementation were identified means of addressing health and digital literacy to effectively implement digital health in cancer care.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing digital health in cancer care must address the variability of digital health literacy in recipients, including groups living with disadvantage and older and younger people, in order to be effective. SO WHAT?: If cancer outcome disparity is to be reduced via digital health technologies, they must be implemented strategically to address digital health literacy needs. Health policy should reflect this approach.

Management of Adverse Events Associated with Cabozantinib Treatment in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cabozantinib is an oral multikinase inhibitor whose targets include vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, MET, and the TAM family of kinases (TYRO3, AXL, MER). Cabozantinib is approved for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who have been previously treated with sorafenib, based on improved overall survival and progression-free survival relative to placebo in the phase III CELESTIAL study. During CELESTIAL, the most common adverse events (AEs) experienced by patients receiving cabozantinib included palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, fatigue, gastrointestinal-related events, and hypertension. These AEs can significantly impact treatment tolerability and patient quality of life. However, AEs can be effectively managed with supportive care and dose modifications. During CELESTIAL, more than half of the patients receiving cabozantinib required a dose reduction, while the rate of treatment discontinuation due to AEs was low. Here, we review the safety profile of cabozantinib and provide guidance on the prevention and management of the more common AEs, based on current evidence from the literature as well as our clinical experience. We consider the specific challenges faced by clinicians in treating this patient population and discuss factors that may affect exposure and tolerability to cabozantinib.

Harnessing Digital Videos to Promote Cancer Prevention and Education: a Systematic Review of the Literature from 2013-2018

Social media has transformed the way cancer patients search for information about their chronic health problems. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the use of online digital videos to increase cancer knowledge and to understand information preference, behavioral changes, and attitudes towards online cancer education videos. The databases used for this review included MedLine, PsychINFO, and PubMed. These medical databases were used to locate peer-reviewed academic journals from 2013-2018 using the following MeSH terms: "cancer education videos," "cancer prevention videos," and "cancer education digital videos." A total of 4996 articles were retrieved from the initial search, and 33 articles were reviewed. Articles were excluded if videos did not (1) focus on cancer education and prevention; (2) posted on an online platform; and (3) assessed participants' knowledge, attitude, or beliefs about cancer. Eleven articles were found to meet inclusion criteria for final review. All of the studies focused on increasing education on preventive health behaviors (i.e., sunscreen use, smoking, and diet) and/or early detection strategies (i.e., screening testing and/or self-skin exams). While online digital health videos have the potential to improve health outcomes, issues related to technology access and health literacy must be considered when developing online health education videos.

Developments in Privacy and Data Ownership in Mobile Health Technologies, 2016-2019

OBJECTIVES

To survey international regulatory frameworks that serve to protect privacy of personal data as a human right as well as to review the literature regarding privacy protections and data ownership in mobile health (mHealth) technologies between January 1, 2016 and June 1, 2019 in order to identify common themes.

METHODS

We performed a review of relevant literature available in English published between January 1, 2016 and June 1, 2019 from databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, as well as relevant legislative background material. Articles out of scope (as detailed below) were eliminated. We categorized the remaining pool of articles and discrete themes were identified, specifically: concerns around data transmission and storage, including data ownership and the ability to re-identify previously de-identified data; issues with user consent (including the availability of appropriate privacy policies) and access control; and the changing culture and variable global attitudes toward privacy of health data.

RESULTS

Recent literature demonstrates that the security of mHealth data storage and transmission remains of wide concern, and aggregated data that were previously considered "de-identified" have now been demonstrated to be re-identifiable. Consumer-informed consent may be lacking with regard to mHealth applications due to the absence of a privacy policy and/or to text that is too complex and lengthy for most users to comprehend. The literature surveyed emphasizes improved access control strategies. This survey also illustrates a wide variety of global user perceptions regarding health data privacy.

CONCLUSION

The international regulatory framework that serves to protect privacy of personal data as a human right is diverse. Given the challenges legislators face to keep up with rapidly advancing technology, we introduce the concept of a "healthcare fiduciary" to serve the best interest of data subjects in the current environment.

Effective use of social media platforms for promotion of mental health awareness

BACKGROUND

Social media platforms are progressively developing as a rich source of mass communication. Increasing mental health awareness with the help of social media can be a good initiative to reach out to a large number of people in a short time frame. This study was conducted to understand the usefulness of social media platforms for health promotion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It was a qualitative study to evaluate the effectiveness of social media platforms in hosting health promotion campaigns in the field of mental health, which was observed over 5 months from May to September 2019 to reach more people for effective information dissemination. The campaigns were as follows (1) The Buddies for Suicide Prevention: an online campaign to create awareness about suicide prevention. The campaign included script writing, slogan writing, poster making, and short films making, organized for the general public who were interested to take part; (2) The #Iquitobacco was a 21-day campaign with an idea of tobacco cessation in the community, conducted among social media viewers who were willing to participate; and (3) #Migrainethepainfultruth was yet another campaign conducted among the social media viewers who were interested to participate. All the campaigns were conducted using two famous social media platforms commonly used by young adults. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and proportions were computed for the number of likes and shares.

RESULTS

The Facebook and Instagram posts concerning all the campaigns brought about a considerable amount of reach to the targeted population. After the campaigns, the page reached to around 10.3 k people (both fans and nonfans).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of social media to conduct mental health campaigns is an effective initiative as one can reach out to several people over a short time period. There is an increasing trend in the awareness of mental health with the effective use of digital media as a platform for disseminating information.

The association between social media use for health related information and compliance with breast and cervical cancer screenings

There is a need to investigate the impact of social media use on patient compliance with important health screenings due to the inconsistency of research findings on the effect of using social media on cervical cancer screenings. This study assessed associations between social media use and adherence in women at risk for breast and cervical cancer to mammograms and Pap smear screenings. A total of 6695 respondents from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycle 1 and 2 datasets were used for data analysis. Chi-square tests were used to explore social network activities and cancer screening compliance, and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with cancer screening compliance. Among respondents, 68% of women and 84% of women complied with mammograms and Pap smears, respectively. Women who used the Internet during last 12 months to visit a social networking site, participate in a forum support group for medical issue, or watch a health-related video on YouTube complied with Pap smears more significantly than women who did not use the Internet (p <.05, p <.0001, and p <.001, respectively). Variables associated with mammogram and Pap smear screening compliance were age, health insurance, regular provider, marital status, and internet use. There was no significant association between social network activities and compliance with mammogram screenings. It is critical to use the same and up-to-date guidelines when reporting cancer screening rates to effectively promote adherence to cancer prevention programs and make valid and reliable comparisons across studies.

The rise of #SocialMedia in the Nephrology world

Social media (SoMe) use has increased exponentially in the last decade and is having a profound impact on the Nephrology world. The use of these platforms is contributing to continuous educational and professional development by exposing nephrologists to new research, allowing them to connect with experts, to exchange experiences, or to engage in scientific debates. Here, we introduce the basics of SoMe, focusing on Twitter because it is the most popular SoMe platform used by the medical community for professional purposes. We will review the main education platforms and tools available, such as visual abstracts, blogs, tweetorials, videos, and podcasts. We will also focus on their different applications for educational purposes such as online journal clubs, webinars, or online games. The role of SoMe in academic promotion, dissemination of research, expansion of nephrology societies and coverage of scientific events will also be discussed. In the end, we will reflect on SoMe risks and limitations, much-needed developments in SoMe platforms and the challenges ahead of us.

Online interventions geared toward increasing resilience and reducing distress in family caregivers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Family caregivers of patients with cancer often spend a great deal of effort on physically and emotionally demanding work while taking care of patients. However, the majority of caregivers are not properly equipped for their role as caregivers, which may lead to increased distress in both caregivers and patients. Herein, we reviewed the recent literature (last 3 years) examining online interventions that seek to support caregiver resilience and decrease distress.

RECENT FINDINGS

Our search identified interventions involving three main themes: informational support, positive activities, and social support. These are mostly in the form of web-based tools and mobile apps targeting both usability and quality of life. Social network services are also considered in this review as a new environment for caregivers to connect with other individuals with lived experience in similar circumstances.

SUMMARY

Existing studies on online interventions to support caregivers is still at a formative development stage and pilot tests of feasibility, rather than a substantive body of randomized controlled trials to assess the impact in different user populations, or to determine specific factors that impact caregiver distress level or resilience. More research is needed to further assess the long-term effects of online interventions on caregiver stress and resilience. Also, the role of different types of social network services and new forms of interaction, such as conversational agents, has not yet been fully investigated in caregiver populations. Future research should strive to seek new modes of providing services that may present novel opportunities to enhance caregiver resilience and reduce distress.

Social media and mobile health technology for cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

INTRODUCTION

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally and many jurisdictions have developed population-based cancer screening programmes to reduce the public health burden of disease. However, screening participation remains suboptimal. Social media and other mobile health (mHealth) technologies are increasingly being used for health promotion and behaviour change. This paper reports on the protocol for a systematic review exploring the effect of social media and other mHealth interventions on cancer screening participation and intention.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This protocol is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) checklist. We will include any randomised controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies with a pre/post design conducted in adults ≥18 years of age that report on the effectiveness of a social media or mHealth intervention on screening participation or intention (inclusive of breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate and lung cancer). Interventions will be inclusive of those delivered online or through a computer using an established social media platform or a new purpose-built platform, or those delivered through cellphones or other wireless technologies. Any comparator will be acceptable (control group, alternate intervention or pre/post design). We will search Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Communication and Mass Media Complete from 1 January 2000 to 31 May 2019. Two independent reviewers will screen titles, abstracts and full-text articles with conflicts resolved through discussion or by a third reviewer, as needed. The two reviewers will also independently complete risk of bias assessments for each included study. We will report on the characteristics of the studies, participants and interventions in descriptive narrative form and report the absolute and relative differences in screening and intention attributable to social media and mobile technology interventions.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

As this is a systematic review, ethical approval for conduct of this study is not required. We will pursue publication of study results in a relevant peer-reviewed journal and report our findings according to the PRISMA checklist.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019139615.

Communication About Hereditary Cancers on Social Media: A Content Analysis of Tweets About Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Lynch Syndrome

Social media is increasingly being used as an information source and tool for individuals and organizations to share resources and engage in conversations about health topics. Because the public tends to learn about health topics and genetics from online social media sources, it is imperative to understand the amount, type, and quality of information being shared. We performed a retrospective analysis of tweets related to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and Lynch syndrome (LS) between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. A total of 63,770 tweets were included in our dataset. The majority were retweets (59.9%) and users came from 744 different cities. Most tweets were considered "informational" (51.4%) and were designed to provide resources to the public. Online communities (25%), organizations (20%), and providers or researchers (15%) were among the most common contributors. Our results demonstrated that conversations were primarily focused on information and resource sharing, along with individuals discussing their personal stories and testimonials about their experiences with these HBOC and LS. Future studies could consider ways to harness Twitter to help tailor and deliver health communication campaigns and education interventions to improve the public's understanding of these complex topics.

Brief culturally informed smartphone interventions decrease breast cancer symptom burden among Latina breast cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE

Latina breast cancer survivors (BCS) report more symptom burden and poorer health-related quality of life than non-Latina BCS. However, there are few evidence-based and culturally informed resources that are easily accessible to this population. This study aimed to establish the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the My Guide and My Health smartphone applications among Latina BCS. Both applications are culturally informed and contain evidence-based information for reducing symptom burden and improving health-related quality of life (My Guide) or healthy lifestyle promotion (My Health).

METHODS

Participants (N = 80) were randomized to use the My Guide or My Health smartphone applications for 6 weeks. Assessments occurred at baseline (T1) after the 6-week intervention (T2) and 2-week post-T2 (T3). Outcomes were participant recruitment and retention rates, patient-reported satisfaction, and validated measures of symptom burden and health-related quality of life.

RESULTS

Recruitment was acceptable (79%), retention was excellent (>90%), and over 90% of participants were satisfied with their application. On average, participants in both conditions used the applications for more than 1 hour per week. Symptom burden declined from T1 to T2 across both conditions, but this decline was not maintained at T3. Breast cancer well-being improved from T1 to T2 across both conditions and was maintained at T3.

CONCLUSIONS

Latina BCS who used the My Guide and My Health applications reported temporary decreases in symptom burden and improved breast cancer well-being over time, though there were no differential effects between conditions. Findings suggest that technology may facilitate Latina BCS engagement in care after breast cancer treatment.

Evaluation of an online knowledge translation intervention to promote cancer risk reduction behaviours: findings from a randomized controlled trial

Background

Many cancers are preventable through lifestyle modification; however, few adults engage in behaviors that are in line with cancer prevention guidelines. This may be partly due to the mixed messages on effective cancer prevention strategies in popular media. The goal of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (the Portal) is to increase access to trustworthy health information. The purpose of this study was to explore if and how knowledge translation strategies to disseminate cancer prevention evidence using the Portal influence participants’ knowledge, intentions and health behaviors related to cancer risk.

Methods

Adults ≥40 years old, with no cancer history were randomized to a 12-week intervention (weekly emails and social media posts) or control group. Quantitative data on knowledge, intentions and behaviors (physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption and use of tobacco products) were collected at baseline, end of study and 3 months later. Participant engagement was assessed using Google Analytics, and participant satisfaction through open-ended survey questions and semi-structured interviews.

Results

Participants (n = 557, mean age 64.9) were predominantly retired (72%) females (81%). Knowledge of cancer prevention guidelines was higher in the intervention group at end of study only (+ 0.3, p = 0.01). Intentions to follow cancer prevention guidelines increased in both groups, with no between-group differences. Intervention participants reported greater light-intensity physical activity at end of study (+ 0.7 vs. 0.1, p = 0.03), and reduced alcohol intake at follow u (− 0.2 vs. + 0.3, p < 0.05), but no other between-group differences were found. Overall satisfaction with the Portal and intervention materials was high.

Conclusions

Dissemination of evidence-based cancer prevention information through the Portal results in small increases in knowledge of risk-reduction strategies and with little to no impact on self-reported health behaviours, except in particular groups. Further tailoring of knowledge translation strategies may be needed to see more meaningful change in knowledge and health behaviours.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03186703, June 14, 2017.

Change patterns and determinants of physical activity differ between breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare pre- to post-diagnosis change patterns of physical activity (PA) among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients. Moreover, the study aimed to investigate sociodemographic and medical determinants of post-diagnosis PA and to identify patient subgroups at increased risk of inactivity.

METHODS

A total of 912 cancer patients (457 breast, 241 prostate, 214 colorectal cancer) completed a questionnaire assessing their pre- and post-diagnosis PA behavior, and sociodemographic and medical variables. Age-adjusted regression and classification tree analyses were used to investigate PA determinants and detect subgroups that were most likely to meet or not meet PA guidelines.

RESULTS

Across cancer types, we found that PA yet decreased from pre- to post-diagnosis, but that 54.1% of participants still reported to be meeting PA guidelines after the diagnosis. While post-diagnosis PA was strongly affected by previous PA behavior among individuals of all patient groups, other sociodemographic and medical determinants played different roles depending on cancer type. The results yielded that previously active, longer diagnosed patients with higher education levels were most likely to be meeting PA guidelines post-diagnosis, whereas specifically previously inactive prostate cancer patients had an increased likelihood of insufficient activity.

CONCLUSIONS

An encouragingly high number of cancer patients indicated sufficient PA levels. For those having difficulties to maintain or adopt PA post-diagnosis, interventions should be tailored to the specific characteristics of each cancer type, as different factors are associated with PA for each patient group.

The use of mobile technology and peer navigation to promote adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivorship care: results of a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience unique barriers that compromise receipt of survivorship care; therefore, development of innovative educational interventions to improve rates of AYA survivorship care is needed. The efficacy of text-messaging and peer navigation interventions was compared to standard-of-care survivorship educational materials to increase AYAs' (1) late effects knowledge and (2) knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy towards seeking survivor-focused care.

METHODS

This was a three-armed, prospective, randomized controlled trial with one control group and two intervention groups. The control group received current standard-of-care educational materials. One intervention group participated in a text-messaging program, and the second participated in a peer navigator program. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Study outcome variables were quantified using Fisher exact tests, two-sample t tests, exact McNemar tests, conditional logistic regression models, and analysis of covariance.

RESULTS

Seventy-one survivors completed the study (control n = 24; text-messaging n = 23; peer navigation n = 24). Late effects knowledge was high at baseline for all groups. The text-messaging group had increased survivorship care knowledge compared to the control group (p < 0.05); the peer navigation group had increased survivorship care self-efficacy compared to the control group; p < 0.05. Both intervention groups showed increased attitudes towards seeking survivor-focused care compared to the control group (text-messaging p < 0.05; peer navigation p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Each intervention demonstrated significant benefits compared to the control group.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Given the preliminary effectiveness of both interventions, each can potentially be used in the future by AYA cancer survivors to educate and empower them to obtain needed survivorship care.

Feasibility of a Smartphone-based pilot intervention for Hispanic breast cancer survivors: a brief report

Hispanic breast cancer survivors (BCS) are at high risk for experiencing poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after completion of active breast cancer treatment. Therefore, there is a need to develop culturally tailored interventions for Hispanic BCS. To date, there have been limited interventions that have demonstrated that increasing cancer-related knowledge, self-efficacy in communication, and self-management skills can improve HRQoL among Hispanic BCS. These interventions have been delivered in person or by phone, which may be burdensome for Hispanic BCS. To facilitate intervention delivery, we developed My Guide, a Smartphone application aimed at improving HRQoL among Hispanic BCS. The purpose of the current study is to describe the feasibility results of a 4-week pilot trial testing My Guide among Hispanic BCS. Twenty-five women enrolled in the study (75% recruitment rate) and 22 women were retained (91.6% retention rate). Mean time spent using My Guide across the 4 weeks was 9.25 hr, and mean score on the satisfaction survey was 65.91 (range 42-70), in which higher scores reflect greater satisfaction. Participants' scores on the Breast Cancer Knowledge Questionnaire significantly improved from study baseline (M = 9.50, SD = 2.92) to the postintervention assessment (M = 11.14, SD = 2.66), d = 0.59. Participants' HRQoL scores improved over the course of 4 weeks, but these improvements were not statistically significant. Overall, My Guide was feasible and acceptable. Future studies will assess the preliminary efficacy of My Guide in improving HRQoL in a larger, randomized trial of Hispanic BCS.

Social Media Use in Cancer Care

OBJECTIVE

To describe the increasing professional use of social media within oncology health care practice.

DATA SOURCES

Peer-reviewed and lay publications.

CONCLUSION

Social media has changed the communication landscape over the last 15 years. An integral part of worldwide culture, oncology health care professionals can utilize social media to listen, learn, engage, and co-create to advance cancer care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses must be aware of the professional uses for social media, how to use the media, and where to find evidence supporting health care social media efforts within cancer care.