ArticleJMIR cancer2020
Use of Mental Health Apps by Patients With Breast Cancer in the United States: Pilot Pre-Post Study.
Article in JMIR cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluating the effects of e-health interventions on mental health outcomes in individuals with breast cancer: A systematic review.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Health and Well-Being Needs Among Head and Neck Cancer Caregivers - A Systematic Review.The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology · 2023Pooled it
- The efficacy of web or mobile-based interventions to alleviate emotional symptoms in people with advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Pooled it
- Proactive Identification and Digital Mental Health Intervention for the Treatment of Depression Among Individuals With Likely Incurable Cancer: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.Psycho-oncology · 2025Trial
- Effects of Psychoeducational Interventions Using Mobile Apps and Mobile-Based Online Group Discussions on Anxiety and Self-Esteem in Women With Breast Cancer: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Trial
- Strategies to promote the dissemination of psychosocial digital health resources for those affected by cancer: scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Identifying Time-Variant Predictors of Interest in Completing Brief Digital Mental Health Interventions Among Adult Survivors of Cancer: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Observational
- Design and Evaluation of a Digital Health App (SingaporeWALK) for Active Aging: Pre-Post Intervention Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Evaluating the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Self-Help via an OTT Platform on Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Prospective Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.Cancer research and treatment · 2025Article
- App-based support for breast cancer patients to reduce psychological distress during therapy and survivorship - a multicentric randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in oncology · 2024Article
- Article
- A Scoping Review and a Taxonomy to Assess the Impact of Mobile Apps on Cancer Care Management.Cancers · 2023Article
- Informing the development of multidisciplinary interventions to help breast cancer patients return to work: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Article
- The Use of Digital Health Tools for Health Promotion Among Women With and Without Chronic Diseases: Insights From the 2017-2020 Health Information National Trends Survey.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2022Article
- Understanding the Relationship Between Mood Symptoms and Mobile App Engagement Among Patients With Breast Cancer Using Machine Learning: Case Study.JMIR medical informatics · 2022Article
- Challenges in Participant Engagement and Retention Using Mobile Health Apps: Literature Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Review
- Use of mHealth to Increase Physical Activity Among Breast Cancer Survivors With Fatigue: Qualitative Exploration.JMIR cancer · 2021Article
- Views on the usability and usefulness of the PeerConnect app among Ontario public safety professionals.Digital healthArticle
- Digital health interventions for cancer-related cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients: A scoping review.Digital healthReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundNearly half of the patients with breast cancer experience clinically significant mental distress within the first year of receiving their cancer diagnosis. There is an urgent need to identify scalable and cost-efficient ways of delivering empirically supported mental health interventions to patients with breast cancer.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of in-clinic recruitment for a mobile phone app study and to evaluate the usability and preliminary impact of a suite of mental health apps (IntelliCare) with phone coaching on psychosocial distress symptoms in patients recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
methodsThis pilot study adopted a within-subject, 7-week pre-post study design. A total of 40 patients with breast cancer were recruited at a US National Cancer Institute-designated clinical cancer center. Self-reported distress (Patient Health Questionnaire-4) and mood symptoms (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System depression and anxiety scales) were assessed at baseline and postintervention. App usability was assessed at postintervention.
resultsThe minimum recruitment threshold was met. There was a significant decrease in general distress symptoms, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety, from baseline to postintervention. Overall, participants reported high levels of ease of app use and learning. Scores for app usefulness and satisfaction were reinforced by some qualitative feedback suggesting that tailoring the apps more for patients with breast cancer could enhance engagement.
conclusionsThere is a dire need for scalable, supportive interventions in cancer. The results from this study inform how scalable mobile phone-delivered programs with additional phone support can be used to support patients with breast cancer. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/11452.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.