Experiences of Using a Consumer-Based Mobile Meditation App to Improve Fatigue in Myeloproliferative Patients: Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients suffer from long-term symptoms and reduced quality of life. Mindfulness meditation is a complementary therapy shown to be beneficial for alleviating a range of cancer-related symptoms; however, in-person meditation interventions are difficult for cancer patients to attend. Meditation via a mobile phone app represents a novel approach in MPN patients for delivering meditation. Objective The study aimed to report MPN patients’ (ie, naïve or nearly naïve meditators) perceptions of meditation and explore their experiences in the context of using a mobile phone for meditation after participation in an 8-week consumer-based meditation app feasibility study. Methods MPN patients (n=128) were recruited nationally through organizational partners and social media. Eligible and consented patients were enrolled into 1 of 4 groups, 2 that received varying orders of 2 consumer-based apps ( 10% Happier and Calm ) and 2 that received one of the apps alone for the second 4 weeks of the 8-week intervention after an educational control condition. Participants were asked to perform 10 min per day of mobile phone-based meditation, irrespective of the app and order in which they received the apps. At the conclusion of the study, participants were asked whether they would like to participate in a 20-min phone interview comprising 9 to 10 questions to discuss their perceptions and experiences while using the mobile phone meditation apps. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and imported into NVivo 12 (QSR International) for coding and analysis, using a combination of deductive and inductive methods to organize the data, generate categories, and develop themes and subthemes. Results A total of 48 MPN patients completed postintervention interviews, of which 29% (14/48) of the patients only used the 10% Happier app, 21% (10/48) of the patients only used the Calm app, and 46% (22/48) of the patients used both apps during the 8-week intervention. Themes identified in the analysis of interview data related to (1) perceptions of meditation before, during, and after the study, (2) perceptions of the Calm app, (3) perceptions of the 10% Happier app, (4) perceived impacts of using the meditation apps, (5) overall experiences of participating in the study, (6) recommendations surrounding meditation for other MPN patients, and (7) plans to continue meditation. Conclusions The qualitative findings of this study suggest that MPN patients who are naïve or nearly naïve meditators perceived mobile phone meditation as enjoyable, preferred the Calm app over the 10% Happier app, perceived the Calm app as more appealing (eg, narrat...

Testing a mindfulness meditation mobile app for the treatment of sleep-related symptoms in adults with sleep disturbance: A randomized controlled trial

“…In a study testing the same app as tested in this study, in cancer patients, data suggested significant decreases in self-reported fatigue. In open-ended interviews with those cancer patients reporting fatigue, 23% believed that improvements in their fatigue was a result of the meditation due possibly to sleeping better (less tired in daytime) or that the meditations allowed them a brief rest to recharge their energy levels [ 52 , 53 ]. Though the mechanisms of mindfulness meditation on sleep have not yet been determined, fatigue is a common complaint in those with sleep disturbance and should be investigated in future trials.…”

Experiencia De Personas Con Cáncer Que Realizan Terapia Complementaria: Revisión Integrativa

“…En particular, para enfermería es fundamental integrar cuidados basados en las TCA (57) dado que aportan una dimensión que no se logra con la perspectiva biomédica. Lo anterior, implica utilizar las mejores evidencias, con diversos abordajes (58,59) que demuestren ser las intervenciones más efectivas para el cuidado de las personas con cáncer. En este sentido, es importante avanzar en estudios experimentales, que midan los bene cios de las TCA reportados por la investigación cualitativa (21,32) , tal como ya lo están haciendo centros integrales contra el cáncer en Sydney (60) y Corea (48) .…”

A Smartphone App–Based Mindfulness Intervention for Cancer Survivors: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Also, recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of app-based mindfulness interventions in the cancer population report high feasibility and acceptability; albeit engagement is an important variable to consider for intervention success [16,19,20]. However, while there are hundreds of commercially available mindfulness training apps, eg, Headspace, Calm, and 10% Happier [21,22], only Headspace has been customized for cancer patients and been scientifically evaluated [21]. Data from a randomized waitlist-controlled trial and a prospective cohort study of Headspace have demonstrated good overall efficacy for improving outcomes such as quality of life and anxiety in women diagnosed with breast cancer [21,23].…”