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… Click to show full 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
               
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