JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Body image issues are prevalent among individuals diagnosed with cancer, leading to detrimental effects on their physical and psychological recovery. Electronic health (eHealth) has emerged as a promising approach for enhancing the body image of cancer patients.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic health (eHealth) interventions on body image and other health outcomes (quality of life, physical symptoms) among cancer patients. In addition, the acceptability, engagement, and challenges of eHealth interventions were also assessed.

Methods:

PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Wanfang Database, China VIP Database were searched from the date of database establishment to May 31, 2023. The inclusion criteria for this study encompassed research that utilized randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experiments (QEs) to examine the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for cancer patients. The methodological quality of RCTs and QEs was evaluated using the Cochrane bias risk tool and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Evaluation Checklist (2016), respectively. The review adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO.

Results:

There were 2507 articles reviewed, and 11 articles were selected. Six studies were RCTs and five were QEs involving 1587 patients. Evidence of efficacy for eHealth interventions targeting body image and other health outcomes(quality of life, physical symptom, and emotional distress) was mixed. A majority of patients reported that the eHealth intervention was acceptable and the participation rate was high. However, security concerns, technological issues, and time constraints emerged as the primary challenges associated with electronic interventions.

Conclusions:

The implementation of electronic health interventions has the potential to enhance body image, quality of life, physiological symptoms, and emotional distress in patients with cancer. Researchers should undertake more rigorous experiments in the future to elucidate the effectiveness of eHealth and address pertinent concerns. Clinical Trial: This systematic review has been registered on the PROSPEROP platform (Registration Number: CRD42023388898).