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Companionship and sharing create social connections: Phase 2 trial of a virtual community-based intervention for outpatient cancer patients
ABSTRACT
Background:
Virtual community, as a platform providing social connections, has received research attention in the medical field. However, there is currently no virtual community tailored for outpatient cancer patients. This study presents preliminary data on a customized virtual community designed to offer companionship and sharing for outpatient cancer patients.
Objective:
This study aims to assess the feasibility and initial effectiveness of a newly developed virtual community application in improving the quality of life (QOL) among cancer patients.
Methods:
A phase 2 intervention-only design was implemented to evaluate the acceptance, compliance, and preliminary efficacy of a virtual community for outpatient cancer patients. The study involved cancer patients participating in a 4-week virtual community support intervention through a mobile app. Patients completed a QOL questionnaire at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks to assess primary outcomes. Task engagement, task completion rates, and daily community logins were also monitored to evaluate intervention feasibility.
Results:
Baseline assessments were conducted on 30 patients, with 25 patients assessed at T1 and 22 at T2. The average daily login rate was 60.37%, with daily participation and community activity completion rates reaching 42.25% and 22.38%, respectively. Patients actively engaging in community activities showed significant improvements in global health status (QL) (P=0.004), emotional function (EF) (P=0.035), and constipation (CO) (P=0.005) after 4 weeks compared to less active patients.
Conclusions:
The virtual community intervention, emphasizing companionship and sharing, proved feasible for enhancing the QOL among cancer patients. Future validation of its effectiveness will require well-designed randomized controlled trials. Continued optimization tailored to specific user groups will also be crucial for meeting the community's evolving needs.
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Copyright
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