A mobile application of breast cancer e-support program versus routine Care in the treatment of Chinese women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BMC Cancer

Study Protocol

Xiangyu Liu¹  Jiemin Zhu²  Lyn Ebert³  Sally Wai-Chi Chan³ 

[1] Hunan Cancer Hospital, the affiliated cancer hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, 283 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, 410013, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China;Nursing Department, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiangan Nan road, Xiangan District, 361102, Xiamen city, Fujian Province, People’s Republic of China;School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastles, Richardson Wing, Callaghan University Drive, 2308, Callaghan, NSW, Australia;School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastles, Richardson Wing, Callaghan University Drive, 2308, Callaghan, NSW, Australia;

关键词: Breast cancer;    Chemotherapy;    Internet;    Self-efficacy;    Social support;    Symptom distress;    Quality of life;    Psychological well-being;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12885-017-3276-7

 received in 2016-07-30, accepted in 2017-04-11,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWomen with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy suffer from a number of symptoms and report receiving inadequate support from health care professionals. Innovative and easily accessible interventions are lacking. Breast Cancer e-Support is a mobile Application program (App) that provides patients with individually tailored information and a support group of peers and health care professionals. Breast Cancer e-Support aims to promote women’s self-efficacy, social support and symptom management, thus improving their quality of life and psychological well-being.MethodsA single-blinded, multi-centre, randomised, 6-month, parallel-group superiority design will be used. Based on Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and the social exchange theory, Breast Cancer e-Support has four modules: 1) a Learning forum; 2) a Discussion forum; 3) an Ask-the-Expert forum; and 4) a Personal Stories forum. Women with breast cancer (n = 108) who are commencing chemotherapy will be recruited from two university-affiliated hospitals in China. They will be randomly assigned to either control group that receives routine care or intervention group that receives routine care plus access to Breast Cancer e-Support program during their four cycles of chemotherapy. Self-efficacy, social support, symptom distress, quality of life, and anxiety and depression will be measured at baseline, then one week and 12 weeks post-intervention.DiscussionThis is the first study of its kind in China to evaluate the use of a mobile application intervention with a rigorous research design and theoretical framework. This study will contribute to evidence regarding the effectiveness of a theory-based mobile application to support women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. The results should provide a better understanding of the role of self-efficacy and social support in reducing symptom distress and of the credibility of using a theoretical framework to develop internet-based interventions. The results will provide evidence to support the implementation of an innovative and easily accessible intervention that enhances health outcomes.Trial registrationACTRN: ACTRN12616000639426, Registered 17 May, 2016.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017