P3.H154: OnPed: Development and Evaluation of an App for Family Caregivers of Pediatric Cancer Patients in Mexico.

Background: Access to healthcare and family caregiver support crucially affects health outcomes. Pediatric cancer caregivers require specialized training for care, disease knowledge, and essentials skills, such as central access care, home medication management, and identifying urgent complications requiring immediate medical attention. This responsibility significantly impacts the psychological health of caregivers, with depression and anxiety being among the most frequent consequences, affecting 52% to 94% of family caregivers. Leveraging technology, especially through mobile apps, offers opportunities to improve health education and information access, thereby addressing both psychological support and care challenges.

Methods: A mobile app, OnPed, was developed to address the informational needs of pediatric cancer caregivers. Chosen for its ease of access, the app format is particularly beneficial, even in countries like Mexico. OnPed is free, non-profit, and available on both iOS and Android devices. Family caregivers, who attended to their patients during hospital stays, answered surveys and received the OnPed app via the app store. They were encouraged to review it at home. Surveys and questionnaires were conducted before and after the use of the app to assess their perceptions, as well as their anxiety and depression levels. Likert scales were used to analyze patient perception using validated questionnaires.

Results: The study included 20 participants, who had an average age of 40 years (range 20 to 76 years). 85% were female. Regarding their roles, 45% were primary family caregivers (either mother or father), while 50% were secondary family caregivers. Notably, all patients under their care were diagnosed with leukemia, accounting for 100% of the cases. Regarding their informational needs, 80% of participants expressed a desire for additional information to review at home, and 90% believed the app would be useful. In terms of medical assistance, 45% agreed/strongly agreed that not everything was fully explained to them. Additionally, 20% were uncertain about which symptoms were considered urgent or when it was appropriate to visit the ER. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was administered, revealing that 45% of the family caregivers experienced anxiety. After the participants reported using the app, HADS was administered again, showing a reduction in anxiety levels to 5% of family caregivers (p=0.0078). The app maintains a 5.0 score (0-5), with 90% of participants indicating they would recommend it to a family member. The sections that received the highest praise were nutrition (65%) and warning signs (35%).

Conclusion: Family caregivers exhibit a high need for information, which the OnPed app addresses effectively at home. This study demonstrated how the app significantly improves the psychological health of caregivers, reducing anxiety from 45% to 5%. The high rating (5.0) and strong recommendation (90%) reflect its effectiveness in providing informational and psychological support, underscoring the potential of mobile technology in pediatric healthcare assistance.