Use and Influencing Factors of mHealth Services Among Adult Survivors of Cancer: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND

The growing number of survivors of cancer in China has created an increasing need for survivorship care as many survivors face ongoing physical, psychological, and social challenges after treatment. Mobile health (mHealth) services, which are delivered through mobile devices and apps, have emerged as potential tools to support self-management, facilitate access to care, and improve quality of life. However, evidence on the prevalence, use patterns, and determinants of mHealth adoption among Chinese survivors of cancer remains limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the prevalence and patterns of mHealth use among adult survivors of cancer in China and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with adoption.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional survey study between February 13, 2024, and September 21, 2024, at 4 tertiary cancer care centers in China. Adult survivors of cancer were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected through structured face-to-face questionnaires assessing sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, mHealth use, perceived needs, concerns, and user experience. Missing data were limited and handled using complete-case analysis after the Little test supported consistency with missing completely at random. Descriptive analyses summarized participant characteristics and mHealth-related variables. Group differences were examined using chi-square tests and 2-tailed independent-sample t tests. Significant variables in univariate analyses were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Of 1152 participants, 364 (31.6%) reported prior mHealth use. Use was concentrated in practical functions, particularly appointment booking (301/364, 82.7%), online consultation (244/364, 67%), and viewing examination or laboratory reports (215/364, 59.1%), with WeChat-based platforms being the most commonly used access channel (244/364, 67%). Participants reported high demand for clinical guidance (917/1152, 79.6%) and direct communication with health care professionals (901/1152, 78.2%), whereas common concerns included leakage of private information (694/1152, 60.2%) and inaccurate illness judgment (633/1152, 54.9%). In multivariable analysis, mHealth use was significantly associated with younger age, higher educational level, annual household income of at least ¥100,000 (US $14,527.90), widowed or divorced marital status, living alone, and treatment dissatisfaction; cancer type and time since diagnosis were not significant predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

mHealth use among adult survivors of cancer in China is established but uneven, with use concentrated in practical service functions rather than comprehensive survivorship support. Uptake was significantly associated with age, socioeconomic position, social circumstances, and treatment experience but not with clinical characteristics. Survivors reported a strong demand for clinically relevant and communication-oriented functions but also expressed substantial concerns about privacy, accuracy, reimbursement, and physician authenticity. Future survivorship mHealth services should prioritize clinical relevance, trust, integration with formal care, and equitable implementation to achieve broader and more meaningful use.