Relationship and attachment to digital health technology during cancer treatment

Andrew Darley; Eileen Furlong; Roma Maguire; Lisa McCann; Barbara Coughlan

doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151587

Relationship and attachment to digital health technology during cancer treatment

Andrew Darley^*, Eileen Furlong, Roma Maguire, Lisa McCann, Barbara Coughlan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationship that people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with symptom management technology during chemotherapy. Data Sources A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected using one-to-one in-depth interviews with people with colorectal cancer using supportive digital health symptom management technology (n=3) and their family caregivers (n=4) at two time points during chemotherapy treatment. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and followed COREQ guidelines. Conclusion People with cancer and their family caregivers can develop emotional bonds with supportive symptom management technology during cancer treatment. Digital health technology can be experienced as a person guiding them during their cancer treatment. Participants felt vulnerable after the technology was returned to the research team. Participants recognized that it was not the technology that successfully facilitated them through their initial chemotherapy cycles; rather, the technology helped them learn to manage their symptoms and promoted their self-efficacy, as well as how to emotionally respond. Implications for Nursing Practice: The relationship and psychological bonds people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with technology during treatment may be critically important for oncology nurses to be aware of should digital health be prescribed within the outpatient model of cancer care. This study indicates that technology may not be needed for a full treatment experience, as digital health can promote confidence and self-efficacy regarding symptom management and prepare people with cancer to be independent after the digital health technology is returned to the research team. However, further research is needed regarding individual preferences for digital health provision.

Original language	English
Article number	151587
Number of pages	10
Journal	Seminars in Oncology Nursing
Volume	40
Issue number	2
Early online date	10 Feb 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151587
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2024

Funding

The eSMART clinical trial was funded by the European Commission via the FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-1 grant award scheme, grant award number 602289. However, this research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Ethical approval was obtained from University College Dublin (REC number: LS-E-15-49-Fox-Furlong) and two cancer care centres in Ireland: St James's Hospital (REC number: 2017–11List 42 (2)) and St Vincent's Hospital Group (REC number: LS-E-15-49-Fox-Furlong). The authors would like to the eSMART Consortium partners in Europe. We would further like to recognize the exceptional work and dedication of the cancer care teams at the three Irish hospitals involved in this study. Thanks to Dr Patricia Fox as co-investigator of the eSMART clinical trial in Ireland. Thanks to Dr Michael Connolly for methodological guidance. Thanks to Catherine O'Brien for her continuous support and insights into cancer care. We would like to thank each participant who gave their time to speak about their experience for which the current study would not exist without. This work is written in dedication to Francis Darley. The eSMART clinical trial was funded by the European Commission via the FP7-HEALTH-2013-INNOVATION-1 grant award scheme, grant award number 602289 . However, this research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Keywords

attachment
cancer
digital health
family caregivers
interpretative phenomenology
symptom management

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Darley-etal-SON-2024-Relationship-and-attachment-to-digital-health-technologyFinal published version, 294 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

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title = "Relationship and attachment to digital health technology during cancer treatment",

abstract = "Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationship that people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with symptom management technology during chemotherapy. Data Sources A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected using one-to-one in-depth interviews with people with colorectal cancer using supportive digital health symptom management technology (n=3) and their family caregivers (n=4) at two time points during chemotherapy treatment. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and followed COREQ guidelines. Conclusion People with cancer and their family caregivers can develop emotional bonds with supportive symptom management technology during cancer treatment. Digital health technology can be experienced as a person guiding them during their cancer treatment. Participants felt vulnerable after the technology was returned to the research team. Participants recognized that it was not the technology that successfully facilitated them through their initial chemotherapy cycles; rather, the technology helped them learn to manage their symptoms and promoted their self-efficacy, as well as how to emotionally respond. Implications for Nursing Practice: The relationship and psychological bonds people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with technology during treatment may be critically important for oncology nurses to be aware of should digital health be prescribed within the outpatient model of cancer care. This study indicates that technology may not be needed for a full treatment experience, as digital health can promote confidence and self-efficacy regarding symptom management and prepare people with cancer to be independent after the digital health technology is returned to the research team. However, further research is needed regarding individual preferences for digital health provision.",

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author = "Andrew Darley and Eileen Furlong and Roma Maguire and Lisa McCann and Barbara Coughlan",

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N2 - Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationship that people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with symptom management technology during chemotherapy. Data Sources A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected using one-to-one in-depth interviews with people with colorectal cancer using supportive digital health symptom management technology (n=3) and their family caregivers (n=4) at two time points during chemotherapy treatment. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and followed COREQ guidelines. Conclusion People with cancer and their family caregivers can develop emotional bonds with supportive symptom management technology during cancer treatment. Digital health technology can be experienced as a person guiding them during their cancer treatment. Participants felt vulnerable after the technology was returned to the research team. Participants recognized that it was not the technology that successfully facilitated them through their initial chemotherapy cycles; rather, the technology helped them learn to manage their symptoms and promoted their self-efficacy, as well as how to emotionally respond. Implications for Nursing Practice: The relationship and psychological bonds people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with technology during treatment may be critically important for oncology nurses to be aware of should digital health be prescribed within the outpatient model of cancer care. This study indicates that technology may not be needed for a full treatment experience, as digital health can promote confidence and self-efficacy regarding symptom management and prepare people with cancer to be independent after the digital health technology is returned to the research team. However, further research is needed regarding individual preferences for digital health provision.

AB - Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationship that people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with symptom management technology during chemotherapy. Data Sources A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected using one-to-one in-depth interviews with people with colorectal cancer using supportive digital health symptom management technology (n=3) and their family caregivers (n=4) at two time points during chemotherapy treatment. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and followed COREQ guidelines. Conclusion People with cancer and their family caregivers can develop emotional bonds with supportive symptom management technology during cancer treatment. Digital health technology can be experienced as a person guiding them during their cancer treatment. Participants felt vulnerable after the technology was returned to the research team. Participants recognized that it was not the technology that successfully facilitated them through their initial chemotherapy cycles; rather, the technology helped them learn to manage their symptoms and promoted their self-efficacy, as well as how to emotionally respond. Implications for Nursing Practice: The relationship and psychological bonds people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with technology during treatment may be critically important for oncology nurses to be aware of should digital health be prescribed within the outpatient model of cancer care. This study indicates that technology may not be needed for a full treatment experience, as digital health can promote confidence and self-efficacy regarding symptom management and prepare people with cancer to be independent after the digital health technology is returned to the research team. However, further research is needed regarding individual preferences for digital health provision.

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Relationship and attachment to digital health technology during cancer treatment

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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