Developing "Information Assistant": A Smartphone Application to Meet the Personalized Information Needs of Women with

Ying Liu1, Zhaohui Geng1, Fulei Wu1

  • 1School of Nursing, Second Military Medical University, China.

Breast cancer presents specific challenges both physically and psychologically to women. Women living with breast cancer frequently do not receive adequate information support and they urgently need professional assistance that help them to cope and adjust to challenges. This paper documents the process of developing a smartphone application (app) "Information Assistant" for women with breast cancer in China. First, individual interviews were used to explore and understand the real experience of breast cancer patients and their diverse information needs during different stages of diagnosis and treatment. Next, expert working group discussions and the Delphi technique, including breast cancer care physicians, nurses and software engineers, were used to draft the structure and contents of the m-health based information support program. Then, these feedbacks were used to develop "Information Assistant" app. This app has five modules: personalized information recommendation, category knowledge center, headline information browsing, newest information browsing and information searching.

Related Concept Videos

Cancer02:18

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
Cancer Survival Analysis01:21

Cancer Survival Analysis

Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...