Effect of mobile health (mHealth) on improving anxiety, depression and quality of life in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta -analysis.

Background: Cancer patients often experience anxiety, depression, and diminished quality of life (QoL). Mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer personalized technological approaches to manage these issues, but there is a lack of comprehensive evaluations. This study systematically assesses the effectiveness of mHealth interventions in reducing anxiety and depression and improving QoL in cancer patients.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines was conducted. We searched multiple databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, ACM Digital Library, PsycINFO, CNKI, and Wanfang) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until June 1, 2024. Two researchers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results: Thirty-nine RCTs involving 7980 cancer patients were included. Meta-analysis results indicated that mHealth interventions significantly improved anxiety (SMD = -0.13, 95 % CI: -0.21 to -0.06, P = 0.0004), depression (SMD = -0.22, 95 % CI: -0.30 to -0.13, P < 0.001), and QoL (SMD = 0.38, 95 % CI: 0.25 to 0.52, P < 0.001) compared to control groups. Subgroup analysis revealed that short-term interventions (≤3 months) and application-based interventions were the most effective.

Conclusions: Heterogeneity was observed in QoL outcomes, which was not fully explained by subgroup analyses. Additionally, publication bias may have influenced results, and most studies had short follow-up periods, limiting conclusions about long-term effects. Conclusions: mHealth interventions significantly reduce anxiety and depression and improve QoL in cancer patients.