A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial on the Development and Evaluation of a Mobile Application for Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND: Evidence has shown that breast cancer self-management support from mobile apps can improve the quality of life of patients. While many breast cancer mobile applications exist, few applications have documented the process of developing an easy-to-use application from a patient's point of view. OBJECTIVES: To develop a mobile application that is user-centered, context-specific and to evaluate its clinical effectiveness on quality of life and management of health problems of breast cancer survivors. METHODS: The proposed research will be conducted in two phases; the first phase (Phase 1a) will be focused on the development of mobile app content. The pilot phase (Phase 1b), where a prototype of the application will be designed, and its usability will be evaluated. Finally, in the second phase (Phase 2), the clinical effectiveness of a mobile app in breast cancer survivors. CONCLUSION: The findings of this proposed trial may provide a platform for telerehabilitation for breast cancer survivors in resource-limited settings. Furthermore, the findings of this study may pave the way for innovative approaches to healthcare delivery in India and other comparable contexts.