PreveCan, an app for cancer prevention based on the 2018 WCRF/AICR guidelines: development and usability

To develop and asses the usability of a Spanish-language mobile application (PreveCan) to educate the public about the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommendations for cancer prevention.

The app was developed using a user-centred design approach involving epidemiology, medical, nutrition and software design experts and public. PreveCan educates users on WCRF/AICR recommendations rating their adherence from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), offering advice for improvement and evidence-based additional information on the relationship between lifestyles and cancer. Usability was assessed in a cross-sectional study of 181 participants using a translated version of the 20-item mHealth App Usability Questionnaire, which rated ease of use and satisfaction, information layout, and overall usefulness of PreveCan on 1-5 scale.

General usability of PreveCan was rated highly, with a median score of 94/100 (IQR: 85-99). Ease of use and satisfaction scored 39/40 (IQR: 35-40), with 87% of users rating all items ≥4 points. Information organization scored 33/35 (IQR: 30-35), with 83% of users rating ≥4. Usefulness was rated ≥4 by 77% of users, but satisfaction was slightly lower (22/25; IQR: 20-25). Common feedback highlighted the need for a standardized response format and stronger incentives to encourage regular use. Based on this, PreveCan was updated and is freely available on Google Play and the Apple Store.

PreveCan is a useful tool to inform Spanish-speaking users on lifestyle changes to reduce cancer risk by assessing adherence to WCRF/AICR cancer prevention guidelines.