Training Cognitive Functions Using Mobile Apps in Breast Cancer Patients: Systematic Review.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Vergani L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6444278 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BACKGROUND:The use of mobile health (mHealth) apps in clinical settings is increasing widely. mHealth has been used to promote prevention, improve early detection, manage care, and support survivors and chronic patients. However, data on the efficacy and utility of mHealth apps are limited. OBJECTIVE:The main objective of this review was to provide an overview of the available research-tested interventions using mHealth apps and their impact on breast cancer care. METHODS:A systematic search of Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, and Scopus was performed to identify relevant studies. From the selected studies, the following information was extracted: authors, publication date, study objectives, study population, study design, interventions' features, outcome measures, and results. RESULTS:We identified 29 empirical studies that described a health care intervention using an mHealth app in breast cancer care. Of these, 7 studies were about the use of an mHealth application in an intervention for breast cancer prevention and early detection, 12 targeted care management, and 10 focused on breast cancer survivors. CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicate consistent and promising findings of interventions using mHealth apps that target care management in breast cancer. Among the categories of mHealth apps focusing on survivorship, mHealth-based interventions showed a positive effect by promoting weight loss, improving the quality of life, and decreasing stress. There is conflicting and less conclusive data on the effect of mHealth apps on psychological dimensions. We advocate further investigation to confirm and strengthen these findings. No consistent evidence for the impact of interventions using mHealth apps in breast cancer prevention and early detection was identified due to the limited number of studies identified by our search. Future research should continue to explore the impact of mHealth apps on breast cancer care to build on these initial recommendations.
| S-EPMC6388100 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in its basic principle has developed itself as a stand-alone, substantial method of therapy. With effective application in therapy for a range of mental health issues, the spread of CBT methods to Web-based therapy sources is evident. The development of mobile phone apps using CBT principles is increasing within the research area. Despite the move to Web-based methods of therapy, it is argued that these methods lack the same efficacy of face-to-face therapy sessions.ObjectiveThe aim of this review was to assess extent research findings with regard to the effectiveness of CBT-related mobile health (mHealth) apps. By assessing only studies employing a randomized controlled trial design, the review aimed to determine app efficacy within the highly regarded method of investigation.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted across several databases. Search results were filtered, and results were subject to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria because of the nature of the review. Where possible, analysis of effect size was calculated and results reported.ResultsA total of 8 studies investigating the effectiveness of mHealth CBT-related apps across a range of mental health issues were reviewed. Three studies used the app against a control group, and 5 studies used the app intervention against another form of treatment or intervention. A range of effect sizes were seen across all included studies (d=-0.13 to 1.83; 0.03-1.44), with the largest effects often being seen when comparing the data from pre- to posttest for the app engaged group.ConclusionsThe studies reviewed support the use of mHealth apps containing CBT principles for a range of mental health issues. However, the effectiveness over longer time periods should be assessed. Researchers and professionals should seek to collaborate effectively when creating new apps to enhance their effectiveness as a treatment for the general public.
| S-EPMC5727354 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSide effects of breast cancer treatment may persist long into survivorship, reducing quality of life (QOL) in patients with breast cancer and survivors. There is growing evidence for the use of digital health technologies, such as mobile apps, to support self-management, decrease symptom burden, and improve QOL in patients with cancer. However, an updated overview of the effects of mobile apps on QOL and well-being in patients with breast cancer and survivors is needed.ObjectiveThe aim of this review was to provide an overview of breast cancer-specific, mobile app-driven lifestyle or behavioral interventions in patient care through to survivorship and their impact on QOL and mental well-being.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted to identify relevant studies. The inclusion criteria were limited to original studies involving a trial of a mobile app-driven lifestyle or behavioral intervention for patients with breast cancer or survivors and using QOL or well-being measures. The results of the studies that met the inclusion criterion were then synthesized in text and table format. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.ResultsA total of 17 studies with the number of participants ranging from 23 to 356 met the inclusion criterion. Of the 17 reviewed studies, 7 (41%) delivered an app-only intervention, and 10 (59%) combined an app with additional supporting materials, such as SMS text messaging, telecoaching, wearables, or printed materials. Among the 17 reviewed studies, 6 (35%) focused on aiding patients with breast cancer during the active treatment phase (excluding ongoing hormone therapy), whereas the remaining 11 (65%) focused on survivorship. The majority of the studies (14/17, 82%) observed some positive effects on QOL or well-being measures.ConclusionsThe results of the review indicate that mobile apps are a promising avenue for improving QOL and well-being in breast cancer care. Positive effects were observed in patients undergoing active treatment in all reviewed studies, but effects were less clear after chemotherapy and in long-term survivors. Although lifestyle and behavioral digital interventions are still being developed, and further research should still be pursued, the available data suggest that current mobile health apps aid patients with breast cancer and survivors.
| S-EPMC10416803 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Pain is a common condition with a significant physical, psychosocial, and economic impact. Due to enormous progress in mobile device technology as well as the increase in smartphone ownership in the general population, mobile apps can be used to monitor patients with pain and support them in pain management. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of smartphone or computer tablet apps in the management of patients with pain. METHODS:In December 2017, a literature search was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PsycINFO. In addition, a bibliography search was conducted. We included studies with at least 20 participants per arm that evaluated the effects of apps on smartphones or computer tablets on improvement in pain. RESULTS:A total of 15 studies with 1962 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 4 studies examined the effect of mobile apps on pain management in an in-clinic setting and 11 in an out-clinic setting. The majority of the original studies reported beneficial effects of the use of a pain app. Severity of pain decreased in most studies where patients were using an app compared with patients not using an app. Other outcomes, such as worst pain or quality of life showed improvements in patients using an app. Due to heterogeneity between the original studies-patient characteristics, app content, and study setting-a synthesis of the results by statistical methods was not performed. CONCLUSIONS:Apps for pain management may be beneficial for patients, particularly in an out-clinic setting. Studies have shown that pain apps are workable and well liked by patients and health care professionals. There is no doubt that in the near future, mobile technologies will develop further. Medicine could profit from this development as indicated by our results, but there is a need for more scientific inputs. It is desirable to know which elements of apps or additional devices and tools may improve usability and help patients in pain management.
| S-EPMC6231845 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundPelvic floor dysfunction is a public health issue, with 1 in 3 women experiencing symptoms at some point in their lifetime. The gold standard of treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction is supervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT); however, adherence to PFMT in women is poor. Mobile apps are increasingly being used in the National Health Service to enable equity in the distribution of health care and increase accessibility to services. However, it is unclear how PFMT mobile apps influence PFMT adherence in women.ObjectiveWe aimed to identify which behavior change techniques (BCTs) have been used in PFMT mobile apps, to distinguish the core "capability, opportunity, and motivation" (COM) behaviors targeted by the BCTs used in PFMT mobile apps, and to compare the levels of PFMT adherence in women between those using PFMT mobile apps and those receiving usual care.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of the literature. Published quantitative literature that compared the use of a PFMT mobile app to a control group was included to address the objectives of the study. The electronic bibliographic databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro, along with CENTRAL. Studies were also identified from reference searching of systematic reviews. Original articles written in English from 2006 onward were included. Nonexperimental quantitative studies, qualitative studies, studies that use male participants, case studies, web-based interventions, and interventions that use vaginal probes were excluded. Narrative synthesis was conducted on eligible articles based on the aims of the study.ResultsOf the 114 records retrieved from the search, a total of 6 articles met the eligibility and inclusion criteria. The total number of participants in the studies was 471. All PFMT mobile apps used the BCT "prompts and cues." Opportunity was the core COM behavior targeted by the PFMT mobile apps. Higher levels of adherence to PFMT were observed among women using PFMT mobile apps.ConclusionsDigital "prompts and cues" are a BCT commonly used in PFMT mobile apps, and further research is required to practically assess whether a future randomized controlled trial that investigates the effectiveness of digital "prompts and cues" on PFMT adherence in women can be conducted.
| S-EPMC10722367 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIt is estimated that 20% to 50% of patients do not take their medication correctly, and this leads to increased morbidity and inefficacy of therapeutic approaches. Fostering treatment adherence is a priority objective for all health systems. The growth of mobile apps to facilitate therapeutic adherence has significantly increased in recent years. However, the effectiveness of the apps for this purpose has not been evaluated.ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze whether mobile apps are perceived as useful for managing medication at home and if they actually contribute to increasing treatment adherence in patients.MethodsWe carried out a systematic review of research published using Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and MEDLINE databases and analyzed the information about their contribution to increasing therapeutic adherence and the perceived usefulness of mobile apps. This review examined studies published between 2000 and 2017.ResultsOverall, 11 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The sample sizes of these studies varied between 16 and 99 participants. In addition, 7 studies confirmed that the mobile app increased treatment adherence. In 5 of them, the before and after adherence measures suggested significant statistical improvements, when comparing self-reported adherence and missed dose with a percentage increase ranging between 7% and 40%. The users found mobile apps easy to use and useful for managing their medication. The patients were mostly satisfied with their use, with an average score of 8.1 out of 10.ConclusionsThe use of mobile apps helps increase treatment adherence, and they are an appropriate method for managing medication at home.
| S-EPMC6604503 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Mobile phone health apps are increasingly gaining attention in oncological care as potential tools for supporting cancer patients. Although the number of publications and health apps focusing on cancer is increasing, there are still few specifically designed for the most prevalent cancers diagnosed: breast and prostate cancers. There is a need to review the effect of these apps on breast and prostate cancer patients' quality of life (QoL) and well-being.The purposes of this study were to review the scientific literature on mobile phone apps targeting breast or prostate cancer patients and involving QoL and well-being (anxiety and depression symptoms) and analyze the clinical and technological characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of these apps, as well as patients' user experience with them.We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature from The Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE to identify studies involving apps focused on breast and/or prostate cancer patients and QoL and/or well-being published between January 1, 2000, and July 12, 2017. Only trial studies which met the inclusion criteria were selected. The systematic review was completed with a critical analysis of the apps previously identified in the health literature research that were available from the official app stores.The systematic review of the literature yielded 3862 articles. After removal of duplicates, 3229 remained and were evaluated on the basis of title and abstract. Of these, 3211 were discarded as not meeting the inclusion criteria, and 18 records were selected for full text screening. Finally, 5 citations were included in this review, with a total of 644 patients, mean age 52.16 years. Four studies targeted breast cancer patients and 1 focused on prostate cancer patients. Four studies referred to apps that assessed QoL. Only 1 among the 5 analyzed apps was available from the official app store. In 3 studies, an app-related intervention was carried out, and 2 of them reported an improvement on QoL. The lengths of the app-related interventions varied from 4 to 12 weeks. Because 2 of the studies only tracked use of the app, no effect on QoL or well-being was found.Despite the existence of hundreds of studies involving cancer-focused mobile phone apps, there is a lack of rigorous trials regarding the QoL and/or well-being assessment in breast and/or prostate cancer patients. A strong and collective effort should be made by all health care providers to determine those cancer-focused apps that effectively represent useful, accurate, and reliable tools for cancer patients' disease management.PROSPERO CRD42017073069; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID= CRD42017073069 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v38Clb9T).
| S-EPMC5735250 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCancer is a major cause of morbidity, disability, and mortality worldwide, and breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women. Different modalities of cancer treatment can have adverse effects that reduce the quality of life of patients and lead to treatment interruptions, if not managed properly. The use of mobile technologies has brought innovative possibilities for improving health care. Mobile apps can help individuals manage their own health and well-being and may also promote healthy lifestyles and information access.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify available evidence on the use of mobile apps to provide information and facilitate communication regarding self-care management related to the adverse effects of toxicities owing to breast cancer therapy.MethodsThis systematic review includes studies which were identified using a search strategy adapted for each electronic database: CINAHL, Cochrane Library, LILACS, LIVIVO, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. In addition, a gray literature search was performed using Google Scholar. All the electronic database searches were conducted on April 17, 2019. Two investigators independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of the studies identified and then read the full text of all selected papers. The quality of the included studies was analyzed by the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool and the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies.ResultsA total of 9 studies which met the eligibility criteria-3 randomized clinical trials and 6 nonrandomized studies published in English from 2010 to 2018-were considered for this systematic review; 396 patients with breast cancer, as well as 40 experts in the medical and nursing fields, and 3 software engineers were included.ConclusionsThe evidence from the studies included in this systematic review is currently limited but suggests that mobile apps for women with breast cancer might be an acceptable information source that can improve patient well-being; they can also be used to report symptoms and adverse treatment-related effects and promote self-care. There is a need to test more evidence-based apps in future randomized clinical trials.
| S-EPMC6734853 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundStroke commonly results in cognitive impairments in working memory, attention, and executive function, which may be restored with appropriate training programs. Our aim was to systematically review the evidence for computer-based cognitive training of executive dysfunctions.MethodsStudies were included if they concerned adults who had suffered stroke or other types of acquired brain injury, if the intervention was computer training of executive functions, and if the outcome was related to executive functioning. We searched in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library. Study quality was evaluated based on the CONSORT Statement. Treatment effect was evaluated based on differences compared to pre-treatment and/or to a control group.ResultsTwenty studies were included. Two were randomized controlled trials that used an active control group. The other studies included multiple baselines, a passive control group, or were uncontrolled. Improvements were observed in tasks similar to the training (near transfer) and in tasks dissimilar to the training (far transfer). However, these effects were not larger in trained than in active control groups. Two studies evaluated neural effects and found changes in both functional and structural connectivity. Most studies suffered from methodological limitations (e.g., lack of an active control group and no adjustment for multiple testing) hampering differentiation of training effects from spontaneous recovery, retest effects, and placebo effects.ConclusionsThe positive findings of most studies, including neural changes, warrant continuation of research in this field, but only if its methodological limitations are addressed.
| S-EPMC4837156 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundA vast amount of mobile apps have been developed during the past few months in an attempt to "flatten the curve" of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.ObjectiveThis systematic review aims to shed light into studies found in the scientific literature that have used and evaluated mobile apps for the prevention, management, treatment, or follow-up of COVID-19.MethodsWe searched the bibliographic databases Global Literature on Coronavirus Disease, PubMed, and Scopus to identify papers focusing on mobile apps for COVID-19 that show evidence of their real-life use and have been developed involving clinical professionals in their design or validation.ResultsMobile apps have been implemented for training, information sharing, risk assessment, self-management of symptoms, contact tracing, home monitoring, and decision making, rapidly offering effective and usable tools for managing the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsMobile apps are considered to be a valuable tool for citizens, health professionals, and decision makers in facing critical challenges imposed by the pandemic, such as reducing the burden on hospitals, providing access to credible information, tracking the symptoms and mental health of individuals, and discovering new predictors.
| S-EPMC7732358 | biostudies-literature