Effects of Mobile Application Program (App)-Assisted Health Education on Preventive Behaviors and Cancer Literacy among Women with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed (1) to study the effects of health education on preventive behaviors and cancer literacy among women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN); (2) to compare the effects of mobile application program (App)-assisted health education with traditional book-form health education. Participants: A total of 132 women ages 20 to 69 years women. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study enrolled 132 CIN women who were evaluated three times. Propensity score matching was used by controlling subjects’ age strata, body mass index, education level, occupation, and type of surgery. Results: The influences of various educational tools were investigated. Four domains were assessed, including health behavior, attitude towards behavior change, self-efficacy of behavior, and cervical cancer (CCa) literacy. Significant improvements in behavior change and CCa literacy due to a health education program were observed (p ≤ 0.002). The App combined with a traditional booklet had the highest score for behavior change and was significantly greater than the booklet-only learning (p = 0.002). The App-assisted form, either App alone or combined with booklet, had a significantly better impact on health promotion when compared to the booklet alone (p = 0.045 and 0.005, respectively). App-only learning had the highest score of CCa literacy (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Health education interventions can have positive effects in terms of change of behavior and CCa literacy. App-assisted learning could be used as a supportive technology, and App learning alone or combined with a traditional booklet may be an innovative model of clinical health promotion for women with CIN.

Evaluation of mobile health applications for cervical cancer in the digital marketplace

“…High-quality mHealth apps can serve as novel interventions to combat barriers that limit effective cervical cancer prevention and treatment by improving cancer awareness and changing behavior in healthy women and cancer survivors, such as enhancing the uptake of cervical cancer screening and increasing adherence to follow-up [18][19][20][21]. Several studies have described tools for assessing the quality of mHealth apps in cancer, such as the mobile app rating scale (MARS) [22][23][24], APPLICATIONS scoring system [16,25], and digital health scorecard approach [26].…”

Digital Therapeutics (DTx) Expand Multimodal Treatment Options for Chronic Low Back Pain: The Nexus of Precision Medicine, Patient Education, and Public Health

“…Since a combination of health education and physical exercises can be effective in preventing non-specific back pain [181], DTx delivering these modalities can yield both therapeutic and preventive effects. Mobile apps are recognized as means to improve health literacy and preventive behaviors [182][183][184]. Promotion and implementation of lifestyle modifications via DTx may lead to the development of sustainable self-care practices that decrease the risk for recurrence of CLBP.…”

Digital health interventions for cervical cancer care: A systematic review and future research opportunities

“…Lee et al [22] in their review work, investigated several educational tools including the use of mobile apps in increasing preventive behaviours and cancer literacy among women. The influences of these rolls were assessed based on four domains which were health behaviour, attitude towards behaviour change, self-efficacy of behaviour, and cervical cancer literacy.…”