Requirements of self-management applications for patients with colorectal cancer

Patients with colorectal cancer experience disabilities and complications that lead to reduced quality of life. To reduce the symptoms and complications of the disease, reduce the costs, and increase the quality of life, patients should manage and control their disease. The aim of this study was to identify the requirements of a mobile-based application for self-management of patients with colorectal cancer.

The present descriptive-applied research was conducted from 2020 to 2021. The requirements of the colorectal cancer application (including educational content, data elements, and capabilities) were assessed using needs assessments from patients, physicians, and nurses. The questionnaire was distributed among 114 people at the Cancer Institute and Firouzgar Hospital in Tehran. The obtained data (88 cases) were analyzed using the SPSS software, and the required components were identified.

Except the need for training for fatigue, other educational needs were considered necessary. In terms of essential data elements and according to the perspective of the patients, physicians, and nurses, the clinical data were more important than the demographic data. In addition, out of 79 features in 10 categories including drug management, nutrition and diet management, pain management, fatigue management, stress reduction and control, anxiety and depression, sleep management, exercise and physical activity, smoking and alcohol cessation, communication, and ancillary tools of a self-management application, 39 features were considered necessary.

Applying the requirements mentioned in the present study can improve the self-management of the patients with colorectal cancer. The features provided can be used as a model for designing software, systems, or applications.