Designing an mHealth App for Defecatory Function Rehabilitation of Post-Surgical Colorectal Cancer Survivors

Many colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors who have undergone resection surgery experience persistent bowel dysfunction that significantly affects their quality of life, highlighting the need for defecatory function rehabilitation in survivorship care. Although mobile health (mHealth) applications are increasingly recognized as promising tools for supporting post-surgical recovery, few are specifically designed to address the complex needs of CRC survivors. This study explores these challenges and identifies design requirements through ExerCompass-a prototype mHealth application designed to support recovery by offering a guided exercise program, bowel and dietary tracking, and condition-aware feedback. We conducted a formative study with 22 CRC survivors using task-based interaction sessions and semi-structured interviews. The prototype was developed by incorporating clinical knowledge specific to CRC, provided by healthcare experts, along with established design principles for digital health tools. We captured participants' overall experiences, uncovered usability challenges and gathered feedback on the prototype's capacity to support recovery. Participants valued the unified delivery of guided exercise, symptom tracking, and condition-aware feedback, noting its therapeutic relevance to their recovery. However, they reported difficulties in logging variable bowel symptoms, interpreting dietary trends, and sustaining motivation over time. While some interface-level issues were mentioned, most emphasized the need for flexible, personalized, and emotionally supportive features. This study highlights the importance of designing mHealth tools that address condition-specific needs of post-surgical CRC survivors and offers design implications for digital interventions that support both symptom management and psychosocial recovery.