Online follow-up with a mobile device improves incurable cancer patients' coping - A qualitative study

To examine patients' experiences regarding the impact of support given by a mobile application on their ability to cope with incurable cancer.

The qualitative research data of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 20 adult patients suffering from incurable cancer during disease-controlling chemotherapy or palliative care were analysed with inductive content analysis.

The majority of the interviewees viewed the mobile application as helpful for monitoring relevant symptoms and coping with the disease. The patients' sense of security was increased by their ability to contact the clinic at all times. As a communication channel, the mobile application was seen as more convenient than the telephone, and it provided a sense of freedom for the patients as contacting the clinic was not tied to time or place. The patients also experienced as well increased involvement with their own care and had a sense of staying abreast with their treatment. A minority of the interviewees reported that there was a certain disease-centredness in using the mobile application.

The present study extends the knowledge of patients using a mobile application as a part of their cancer care and assesses of the acceptance of using this application to provide supportive care. The patients reported that they were better able to cope with the disease when using the mobile application, although some described it as being too disease centred. Overall, this study indicates that the patients' sense of security and freedom increased when using the mobile application.