Mobile Application based Healthcare Programme for Occupational and Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Breast Cancer Survivors: A Research Protocol

Introduction: Breast Cancer (BC) survivorship requires continuous management of various physical, functional, and psychosocial challenges that survivors often experience. Long-term care compliance is frequently compromised due to the demands of time and financial investment, and most available care systems in India are still predominantly in-person. Technology-based interventions can be a viable solution to help survivors attain a better quality of life. Need of the study: There is a notable lack of comprehensive research focused on the use of telehealth services in rehabilitative management, education, and awareness initiatives for Breast Cancer Survivors (BCS) in India. This gap highlights the need to investigate how telecommunication technologies can effectively support these individuals in managing their health, receiving educational resources, and increasing awareness about their condition. By exploring the benefits and challenges associated with telehealth services, one can develop tailored support systems that address the unique needs of BCS in the Indian context. Aim: To design a mobile Healthcare Program (m-HCP) and determine the efficacy of this newly developed text messagebased m-HCP in managing fatigue, life satisfaction, and occupational performance. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study will be conducted at Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, from June 2023 to December 2025. Patients will be recruited from NGOCansupport, New Delhi, India. Participants will receive educational messages for nine weeks and will have pre- and postintervention assessments for the levels of fatigue, occupational performance, and life satisfaction, along with feedback on the effectiveness and utility of the text-messagebased m-HCP. Statistical analysis will be conducted using a paired t-test (parametric test) or a Wilcoxon signed-rank test (non parametric test), with a statistically significant difference defined as a p-value≤0.05.