Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Oct 31, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Oct 30, 2025 - Dec 25, 2025
Date Accepted: Feb 17, 2026
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) interventions in pediatric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
ABSTRACT
Background:
Cancer is a significant threat to children’s health, and Mobile health (mHealth) is emerging as a key tool for remote disease management, health education, and follow-up. However, evidence for its effectiveness remains limited.
Objective:
Summarizes the effects of mobile health interventions in pediatric cancer, providing evidence-based support for optimizing intervention models and improving patient outcomes.
Methods:
A systematic search of 14 databases identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on mobile health applications for pediatric cancer patients from inception to August 1, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, assessed bias risk, and graded evidence quality. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15.
Results:
24 RCTs involving 2,705 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that mobile health interventions significantly improved quality of life (SMD=1.34, p=0.04), treatment adherence (OR=3.43, p=0.0002) and self-management ability (SMD=6.39, p=0.01), while reducing infection rates (OR=0.25, p=0.002), PICC complications (OR=0.17, p<0.00001), PICC catheter occlusion (OR=0.33, p=0.002) and dislodgement (OR=0.29, p<0.0001). mHealth showed no significant effect on catheter displacement, and further high-quality studies are needed to verify its impact on health knowledge. Intervention components covered 9 categories, including Goals and planning, Feedback and monitoring, Social support, Shaping knowledge, and Natural consequences et al. Overall evidence quality was moderate.
Conclusions:
Mobile health interventions have been shown to improve quality of life, treatment adherence, PICC management outcome and self-management ability in pediatric cancer patients while reducing infections. However, most studies have small samples, short follow-ups, and lack cost-effectiveness analysis. Larger, high-quality RCTs are needed to verify these effects. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO, number: CRD420251108938
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