Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39878383›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association2025

"Everything cannot be handled virtually": Understanding intention and use of digital health technologies among rural adults and rural cancer survivors.

Jenna Shi, Ty A Robinson, Preena Loomba, Brittany Murley, Larkin L Strong, Karen Basen-Engquist, Scherezade K Mama

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jenna ShiDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Ty A RobinsonDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9165-9561
Preena LoombaDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0050-1866
Brittany MurleySchool of Nursing, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3256-5586
Larkin L StrongDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6316-6962
Karen Basen-EngquistDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7299-0646
Scherezade K MamaDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1935-7707

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI DIANE BODURKA · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
Adaptation and implementation of a community-based intervention to reduce psychosocial distress and promote physical activity in rural breast cancer survivorsK07CA222335 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI MAMA, SCHEREZADE KELLY · 2018 to 2022
$828k
Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk AssessmentNCI NIH HHS K07 CA222335NCI NIH HHS K07CA222335NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672NCI NIH HHS P30CA016672Susan G. Komen GTDR17498270
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis qualitative study assessed internet access and use, barriers and facilitators to participating in digital health interventions or programs, and the engagement experience in virtual versus in-person health interventions among rural adults and rural cancer survivors.

methodsRural adults (n = 10) and rural cancer survivors (n = 10) were recruited from previous studies to participate in an in-depth interview. The interview guide contained eight open-ended questions related to participation in technology-based programs. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and transcripts were analyzed for emergent themes using a thematic content analysis approach.

findingsRural adults were younger (M age = 37.9 ± 11.8 years), more likely to be non-Hispanic Black (90.0%), and reported higher educational attainment (50.0% earned a master's or doctoral degree) compared with rural cancer survivors (M age = 63.0 ± 9.1 years, 70.0% non-Hispanic White, and 20.0% earned a master's or doctoral degree). Participants discussed performance and effort expectancies related to using digital health technologies or participating in virtual programs and cited positive and negative aspects of in-person and virtual platforms. Participants emphasized the need for social connections and missed opportunities in current virtual offerings along with factors that influence their use of technologies (e.g., prior experience, tech anxiety).

conclusionsFindings from this qualitative study provide an in-depth understanding of the intricate experiences of rural adults and rural cancer survivors when engaging with digital health technologies. Integrating the experiences of rural adults and rural cancer survivors may aid in developing clinical and community-based interventions and policies that support increasing access to digital health services and programs for rural communities.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsDigital TechnologyIntentionNeoplasmsRural PopulationAdultAgedDigital HealthFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative Researchcancer survivorsdigital healthqualitative researchrural healthrural health services

Identifiers

PMID39878383
PMCPMC13170577

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.