Pilot study of smartphone-based health outcome tracking (OurBrainBank) for glioblastoma patients

Abstract

Background: Patients with glioblastoma (GBM) typically have high symptom burden impacting on quality of life. Mobile apps may help patients track their condition and provide real-time data to clinicians and researchers. We developed a health outcome reporting app (OurBrainBank [OBB]) for GBM patients. Our primary aim was to explore the feasibility and take-up of OBB. Secondary aims were to examine the potential value of OBB app usage for patient well-being and clinical research. Methods: Participants (or caregiver proxies) completed baseline surveys and tracked 10 health outcomes over time. We evaluated usage and engagement, and relationships between clinical/sociodemographic variables and OBB use. Participant satisfaction and feedback were described. To demonstrate usefulness for clinical research, health outcomes were compared with corresponding items on a validated measure (EQ-5D-5L). Results: From March 2018 to February 2021, OBB was downloaded by 630 individuals, with 15 207 sets of 10 health outcomes submitted. Higher engagement was associated with being a patient rather than a caregiver (χ2(2,568) = 28.6, P