JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

As the number of people diagnosed with cancer continues to rise each year, technology has come to the forefront in enhancing the efficacy of self-management for patients recovering from cancer surgery or undergoing chemotherapy. Despite the growing availability of digital technologies, there remains a shortage of randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence substantiating the effectiveness of these digital interventions for cancer patients.

Objective:

This research aimed to evaluate the influence of a prolonged mHealth intervention (Walkon) on the physical and mental well-being of cancer patients.

Methods:

Cancer patients who had previously used the Walkon app within a prior RCT study were selected as study participants. Individuals without any recorded step count data were excluded from the analysis. The Walkon app provided step count data from the patients. Biometric measurements, including BMI, waist circumference, blood sugar levels, and body composition, along with Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaire responses (EQ-5D-5L and HINT-8), were collected during both the baseline and 6-month follow-up at an outpatient clinic. To analyze step count patterns over time, the Sample Entropy module from Python was employed for patient clustering, distinguishing between the Active Walking Group (AWG) and Inactive Walking Group (IWG).

Results:

This study did not show significant differences in biometric data between the baseline and the six-month follow-up for both AWG and IWG groups. However, in terms of QOL assessments, pain and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) exhibited significant differences. Nonetheless, within the realm of biometric measurements, only waist circumference and visceral fat demonstrated a noteworthy enhancement exclusively within the AWG. Furthermore, concerning the QOL questionnaire, aspects such as energy, work, depression, memory, and happiness displayed significant improvements solely in the AWG, while other factors did not exhibit statistical significance.

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that a consistent, slightly higher level of physical activity, as observed in the AWG, tends to lead to substantial health improvements. Thus, cancer patients must receive a healthy level of walking enforcement.