Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With an eHealth System Designed to Reduce Depressive Symptoms Among...

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Mental health in oncology
• eHealth usability

Background:

• eHealth interventions integrate care for mental health in somatic illnesses.
• Usability, learnability, and engagement are crucial for eHealth effectiveness.
• Understanding sociodemographic factors can enhance eHealth usability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify sociodemographic characteristics associated with the perceived usability of the NEVERMIND eHealth system.
• To assess the usability of the NEVERMIND system in reducing depressive symptoms in cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• 129 breast or prostate cancer patients used the NEVERMIND system (mobile app and sensorized shirt).
• Sociodemographic data (age, sex, marital status, education, employment) were collected.
• Usability was measured using the System Usability Scale (SUS), Mobile App Rating Scale (uMARS), and a usage index.

Main Results:

• The NEVERMIND system demonstrated good usability (SUS score: 73.4).
• Women rated the app higher (uMARS) than men, but men showed significantly higher system usage.
• No significant sociodemographic differences were found for overall usability (SUS).

Conclusions:

• The NEVERMIND system exhibits good usability and user experience in cancer patients.
• Gender influences app ratings and system usage, with women favoring the app and men using it more.
• The study suggests the NEVERMIND system is accessible across different sociodemographic groups, mitigating the digital divide.