Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41455832›Full record

ArticleNPJ digital medicine2025

Systematic review and meta-analysis of digital interventions for mental health in cancer patients and survivors.

Zekariyas Sahile Nezenega, Setognal B Aychiluhm, Allen G Ross, Zemenu Yohannes Kassa, Meless G Bore, Cheru Tesema Leshargie, Julaine Allan, Subash Thapa, Feleke Hailemichael Astawesegn, Shakeel Mahmood and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in NPJ digital medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Uncovering the realities of suicidal ideation in older patients following lung cancer diagnosis: an interpretive phenomenological qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
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

18 authors.

Zekariyas Sahile NezenegaRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia. zekariyas.sahile@gmail.com.
Setognal B AychiluhmRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Allen G RossCollege of Medicine, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE.
Zemenu Yohannes KassaRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Meless G BoreRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Cheru Tesema LeshargieRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Julaine AllanRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Subash ThapaRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Feleke Hailemichael AstawesegnRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Shakeel MahmoodRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Vivian IsaacSchool of Allied Health, Exercise & Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury Campus, NSW, Australia.
Abel F DadiMenzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT, Australia.
Birhanu W DemissieRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Fentaw T BerheRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Engida YismaSchool of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Werissaw HaileselassieDepartment of Reproductive Health and Health Service Management, School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Teketo K TegegneInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Kedir Y AhmedRural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, Australia.

Funding

The Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the Department of Health Grant Activity 4-DGEJZ1O/4-CW7UT14
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Digital health interventions (DHIs) are increasingly used to support mental health for cancer patients and survivors, yet previous reviews have not fully captured all relevant studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of DHIs in improving mental health outcomes in this population. Six electronic databases were searched, identifying 139 randomised controlled trials across 25 countries involving 19,233 participants. Social media-based (SMD = -0.78, moderate-certainty), mHealth (SMD = -0.68, moderate-certainty), telehealth (SMD = -0.54, low-certainty), virtual reality (SMD = -0.59, moderate-certainty) and combined web-based and telehealth interventions (SMD = -0.26, moderate-certainty) significantly reduced anxiety. For depression, social media-based (SMD = -0.80, moderate-certainty), telehealth (SMD = -0.67, moderate-certainty) and mHealth (SMD = -0.49, low-certainty) showed significant reductions. Psychological distress improved with mHealth (SMD = -0.75, moderate-certainty) and web-based interventions (SMD = -0.28, moderate-certainty). Web-based interventions also improved insomnia (SMD = -0.67, moderate-certainty) and sleep quality (SMD = -0.57, moderate-certainty). These results suggest that DHIs provide mental health benefits for cancer populations. Telehealth, mHealth, and social media programs reduce anxiety and depression, while web-based interventions are beneficial for psychological distress, insomnia, and sleep quality, with added benefits when combined with telehealth. Virtual reality also relieves anxiety symptoms.

Identifiers

PMID41455832
PMCPMC12847855

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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.