CN7 - The effect of using mobile application on supportive care needs, distress and quality of life in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: Randomized controlled study

Background

The aim of the study was to develop a mobile application and to examine the effect of using this application on the supportive care needs, distress level, and quality of life in hematopoietic stem-cell transplant patients.

Methods

This randomized controlled study was conducted at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit located in Ankara, from February to September 2022. Patient Information Form, the James Supportive Care Screening Scale (JSCS), the Distress Thermometer, and Functional Assessment Scale in Cancer Treatment in Bone Marrow Transplant Patients (FACT-BMT, version 4) were used to collect data. The study was completed with 36 patients (18 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group) and the data was collected at 3 time points pre-transplant, 1^st month, and 3^rd month after transplantation. The mobile application contents were evaluated by an expert group and piloted (n=7) via Mobile Application Usability Scale. Audio recordings have been added to the application in line with user suggestions. The intervention group was trained with the mobile application and was followed up to the 3rd month after transplantation, and the control group received routine education/follow-up.

Results

In the FACT-BMT scale, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the groups in the FACT-BMT TOI score at admission, while no difference was found between the groups in other sub-dimensions. There was no difference between the groups in terms of distress levels and FACT BMT total scores (p>0.05). A significant difference was found in the 3rd-month follow-up in the spiritual-religious problems sub-dimension of the supportive care needs (p<0.05). The patients in the intervention group received counseling mostly on nutrition, social life, medication use, and post-transplant complications.

Conclusions

No significant effect was found of the education given with the mobile application on the supportive care needs, distress levels and quality of life of the patients during the first three months after stem cell transplantation. Further large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the effect of the mobile application longer than the first three months after transplantation.

Clinical trial identification

NCT05609227.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.