The effect of mobile application education on supportive care requirements, distress and quality of life in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients

This study was carried out to determine the effect of the education given with the mobile application developed for hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients on the supportive care needs, distress level and quality of life. This randomized controlled study was conducted at the University of Health Sciences Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital Stem Cell Transplantation Unit between 20 February 2022 and 30 September 2022. The sample of the study consisted of 36 patients (18 patients for intervention and 18 patients for control) who were 18 years of age and older, received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autologous or allogeneic) for the first time, and could use mobile applications. Data were collected with patient information form, James Supportive Care and Needs Determination Scale in Cancer Patients, Distress Thermometer and Functional Assessment Scale in Cancer Treatment in Bone Marrow Transplant Patients (FACT-BMT). The forms were applied to the intervention and control groups 3 times; on the first day of hospitalization, at the 1st month and 3rd month after transplantation. The content of the mobile application consisted of three modules: information about the pre-stem cell transplant period, the stem cell transplant and the period after it, and a WhatsApp section for answering possible questions of the patient and their relatives. Intervention group were trained with the mobile application and were followed up to the 3rd month after transplantation using the application, and the control group were received routine education and follow-up. Data were analysed with Chi-square, independent sample t, paired sample t test, one-way repeated measures ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. When the groups were compared in terms of supportive care needs, it was found that there was a significant difference in the 3rd month in the spiritual-religious problems sub-dimension (p<0.05). There was no difference between the groups in terms of distress levels (p>0.05). In the FACT-BMT version 4 the quality of life scale, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the groups in the FACT-BMT TOI score at admission, while no difference was found between the groups in other sub-dimensions. As a result of the study; no significant effect was found of the education given with the mobile application on the supportive care needs, distress levels and quality of life of the patients during the first three months after stem cell transplantation. Keywords: Mobile application, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, supportive care, distress, quality of life This study was approved by Başkent University Medical and Health Sciences Research Board and Başkent University Ethics Committee (Project No: KA21/130)