@Article{info:doi/10.2196/36000,
author="Zheng, Meihua
and Zhang, Xiaoling
and Xiao, Huimin",
title="Effects of a WeChat-Based Life Review Program for Patients With Digestive System Cancer: 3-Arm Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2022",
month="Aug",
day="25",
volume="24",
number="8",
pages="e36000",
keywords="digestive system cancer; life review; digital technology; anxiety; depression; hope; self-transcendence; cancer; randomized controlled trial; distress; psychological; digestive system",
abstract="Background: Patients with digestive system cancer often experience psychospiritual distress. Life review is an evidence-based psychological intervention for patients with cancer, but the effects of digital life review programs are unclear, especially for patients with digestive system cancer. Objective: We examined the effects of a WeChat-based life review program on the psychospiritual well-being of patients with digestive system cancer. Methods: This study was a 3-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients with digestive system cancer were recruited from a university hospital in Fujian, China. They were randomized to a life review group and 2 control groups. All participants received routine care, and the life review group also received the 4-week WeChat-based life review program. Control group 1 also received a 4-week program of friendly visiting. Anxiety, depression, hope, and self-transcendence were measured at baseline and 2 days, 1 month, and 6 months after the intervention. Results: A total of 150 participants were randomly allocated to the WeChat-based life review group (n=50), control group 1 (n=50), or control group 2 (n=50). The overall dropout rate was 10{\%} (15/150), and 92{\%} (46/50) of participants in the the life review group completed the intervention. Significant interaction effects for time and group membership were found for anxiety (P<.001), depression (P<.001), hope (P<.001), and self-transcendence (P<.001) at all follow-up time points. For anxiety and depression, the scores did not differ significantly between the life review group and control group 1 on day 2 (P=.80 for anxiety, P=.51 for depression), but the scores were significantly lower in the life review group at month 1 and month 6 (P=.02 for anxiety at both months 1 and 6; P=.003 and P<.001 for depression at months 1 and 6, respectively). Significant increases in hope and self-transcendence were revealed in the life review group compared to control group participants at all follow-up sessions. Conclusions: The WeChat-based life review program was effective in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms and in improving the level of hope and self-transcendence among patients with digestive system cancer. Though friendly visiting can also help to relieve anxiety, its effects are short-term. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-IOR-17011998; https://tinyurl.com/5acycpd4 ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/36000",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2022/8/e36000",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/36000",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36006665"
}