Who uses self-management apps from the OncoAppstore: description of characteristics, symptoms, and functioning of a real-world user population.

PURPOSE

The rising prevalence of cancer in the Netherlands challenges resource allocation and sustainable care delivery. eHealth interventions, such as self-management applications, may reduce healthcare utilisation. To enhance access to self-management tools, the OncoAppstore was launched in July 2023. This study evaluates the sociodemographic and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) characteristics of OncoAppstore users.

METHODS

User data from the OncoAppstore and HRQoL data were integrated with clinical data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Descriptive analyses were used to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests compared OncoAppstore users with the Dutch adult cancer population.

RESULTS

A total of 3620 users requested a health credit, and 4333 applications were purchased. Most users were highly educated (61%), had breast cancer (50%) and a high socioeconomic position (53%). Compared to non-users, OncoAppstore users were younger (56 vs 69), predominantly female (78% vs 55%), more often received primary treatment, and were diagnosed earlier. The majority indicated clinically significant distress levels and approximately half reported substantial functional impairments. Symptom burden was highest in the fatigue, pain, and nausea/vomiting domains. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: The OncoAppstore is primarily utilised by highly educated users who seek applications targeting cancer-related fatigue. Insights into the characteristics of users who are receptive to online self-management tools contribute to the improvement of self-management infrastructure and its long-term integration into Dutch cancer care. By providing self-management tools to those who are able to use it, we can potentially save scarce resources for those who are unable to profit from self-management alone.