The Effectiveness of Patient-Centered Digital Empowerment Programs in Hematological Cancer Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Merve Gozde Sezgin, Hicran Bektas
PMID 40708090WHAT IT FOUND
Fatigue did not improve when blood cancer patients used digital empowerment programs, but depression, distress, self-efficacy and quality of life showed small positive changes.
Use them as support, not physical symptom treatment.
Key findings
01Across the seven trials, patient-centered digital empowerment programs did not improve fatigue.
02Depression and distress showed moderate positive reductions.
03Self-efficacy and quality of life showed statistically significant positive effects.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Seven trials used different digital programs and outcome measures, so the pooled results do not describe one single intervention. Most trials included mixed cancer types rather than only hematological cancer, so the findings may not apply to every blood cancer patient. Many trials assessed short-term and medium-term effects, so long-term benefit is unclear. Three trials had some concerns about bias because blinding of participants and researchers was not clear. Healthcare systems and patient populations varied across countries, which limits how far the results transfer to other settings.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that digital empowerment programs improve all symptoms in hematological cancer. Fatigue did not show a significant improvement, and the positive effects on depression, distress, self-efficacy and quality of life were modest.