TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of eHealth for patients and informal caregivers confronted with cancer
T2 - A meta-review
AU - Slev, Vina N
AU - Mistiaen, Patriek
AU - Pasman, H Roeline W
AU - Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M
AU - van Uden-Kraan, Cornelia F
AU - Francke, Anneke L
N1 - Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/3
Y1 - 2016/3
N2 - BACKGROUND: eHealth can be defined as information provision about illness or health care and/or support for patients and/or informal caregivers, using the computer or related technologies. eHealth interventions are increasingly being used in cancer care, e.g. to support patients and informal caregivers in managing symptoms and problems in daily life.OBJECTIVES: To synthesize evidence from systematic reviews on the effects of eHealth for cancer patients or their informal caregivers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic meta-review, in the sense of a systematic review of reviews, was conducted. Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. All steps in the review process were either performed by two reviewers independently or checked by a second reviewer. Disagreements were resolved by consensus.RESULTS: Ten systematic reviews were included. All reviews focused on the effects of eHealth for patients and none on effects for informal caregivers. Except for one review of high methodological quality, all reviews were of moderate methodological quality. Evidence was found for effects on perceived support, knowledge levels, and information competence of cancer patients. Indications of evidence were found for health status and healthcare participation. Findings were inconsistent for outcomes related to decision-making, psychological wellbeing, depression and anxiety, and quality of life. No evidence was found for effects on physical and functional wellbeing.CONCLUSION: There is evidence for positive effects of eHealth on perceived support, knowledge, and information competence of cancer patients. For effects on other outcomes in cancer patients, findings are mainly inconsistent or lacking. This meta-review did not find relevant reviews focusing on or including the effects of eHealth on informal caregivers, which seems a rather unexplored area.
AB - BACKGROUND: eHealth can be defined as information provision about illness or health care and/or support for patients and/or informal caregivers, using the computer or related technologies. eHealth interventions are increasingly being used in cancer care, e.g. to support patients and informal caregivers in managing symptoms and problems in daily life.OBJECTIVES: To synthesize evidence from systematic reviews on the effects of eHealth for cancer patients or their informal caregivers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic meta-review, in the sense of a systematic review of reviews, was conducted. Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. All steps in the review process were either performed by two reviewers independently or checked by a second reviewer. Disagreements were resolved by consensus.RESULTS: Ten systematic reviews were included. All reviews focused on the effects of eHealth for patients and none on effects for informal caregivers. Except for one review of high methodological quality, all reviews were of moderate methodological quality. Evidence was found for effects on perceived support, knowledge levels, and information competence of cancer patients. Indications of evidence were found for health status and healthcare participation. Findings were inconsistent for outcomes related to decision-making, psychological wellbeing, depression and anxiety, and quality of life. No evidence was found for effects on physical and functional wellbeing.CONCLUSION: There is evidence for positive effects of eHealth on perceived support, knowledge, and information competence of cancer patients. For effects on other outcomes in cancer patients, findings are mainly inconsistent or lacking. This meta-review did not find relevant reviews focusing on or including the effects of eHealth on informal caregivers, which seems a rather unexplored area.
KW - Adaptation, Psychological
KW - Caregivers
KW - Disease Management
KW - Humans
KW - Neoplasms
KW - Telemedicine
KW - Journal Article
KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
KW - Review
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.12.013
DO - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.12.013
M3 - Review article
C2 - 26806712
SN - 1386-5056
VL - 87
SP - 54
EP - 67
JO - International journal of medical informatics
JF - International journal of medical informatics
ER -