The application of eHealth in cancer survivorship care: A review of web-based dyadic interventions for post-treatment cancer survivors and caregivers

OBJECTIVE: Both cancer survivors and caregivers often experience a range of problems and unmet needs during the post-treatment survivorship. Web-based dyadic interventions may be critical for cancer survivors and their caregivers. This article aims to systematically explore existing web-based dyadic interventions for post-treatment cancer survivors and caregivers in terms of intervention focus, content, delivery, and outcomes and to provide valuable recommendations for future research. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify articles published in English or Chinese in the English databases PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library, and the Chinese databases CNKI and Wanfang Data, from database inception to March 2022. The literature references were also manually searched for additional eligible articles. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included for analysis in this review. Cancer couple dyads were the main target of the interventions that were included. Information support, psychotherapy, self-management skills training, dyadic coping, and social support were the main intervention treatment elements. The combined results in this review support the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of eHealth interventions and showed trends in positive intervention effects for cancer survivors and caregivers in terms of self-efficacy, quality of life, physical health, mental health, and dyadic relationship. CONCLUSIONS: This review identifies the positive outcomes of web-based dyadic interventions for post-treatment cancer survivors and caregivers. Further development and refinement of post-treatment cancer survivor-caregiver dyadic web-based interventions, with personalized online platforms and multiple components for supportive care needs, should be promoted.