New thesis: Person-centered care supported by an interactive app for patients with pancreatic cancer following surgery
Hi Tina Gustavell, PhD-student at the Division of Nursing. On 10 May you will defend your thesis ”Person-centered care supported by an interactive app for patients with pancreatic cancer following surgery”, what's the main focus of the thesis?
”The mainfocus on my thesis is to investigate if patients who have undergone surgery due to pancreatic cancer can experience person-centered care and fewer symptoms with support of a mobile app (Interaktor). Trough Interaktor patients report symptoms to a nurse, who phones the patient in case of alerting symptoms. In the app patients can also view graphs over previous reports and read self-care advice.”
Which are the most important results?
”Six weeks after surgery the patients using Interaktor experienced fewer symptoms than a control group of patients not using the app. Significant differences were found for symptoms associated with emotional function, appetite loss, nausea/vomiting, constipation, flatulence and pain. The patients found the app easy to use and felt reassured at home. Further, they found that they could get their voices heard, that the app worked as an extended arm to healthcare and that they learned about own health.”
How can this new knowledge contribute to the improvement of people’s health?
”By reporting symptoms to a nurse and get support for symptom management people with cancer can feel reassured at home, get support based on their individual needs and symptoms can be identified early. To use an app for this purpose is an easy and appreciated way.”
What´s in the future for you? Will you keep on conducting research?
”Now I want to further explore how to implement patients own reported symptoms in routine clinical care.”