Melhem Samar J, Nabhani-Gebara Shereen, Kayyali Reem
Department of Pharmacy, School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University London, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Digit Health. 2024 Mar 13;10:20552076241237668. doi: 10.1177/20552076241237668. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.
Global cancer research has predominantly favoured high-income countries (HICs). The unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) demand tailored research approaches, accentuated further by the disparities highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This research endeavoured to dissect the intricacies of cancer care in LMICs, with Jordan serving as a case study. Specifically, the study aimed to conduct an in-depth analysis of the prevailing cancer care model and assess the transformative potential of eHealth technologies in bolstering cancer care delivery.
Utilising a qualitative methodology, in-depth semi-structured interviews with oncology healthcare professionals were executed. Data underwent inductive thematic analysis as per Braun and Clarke's guidelines.
From the analysed data, two dominant themes surfaced. Firstly, "The current state of cancer care delivery" was subdivided into three distinct subthemes. Secondly, "Opportunities for enhanced care delivery via e-health" underscored the urgency of digital health reforms.
The need to restrategise cancer care in LMICs is highlighted by this study, using the Jordanian healthcare context as a reference. The transformative potential of e-health initiatives has been illustrated. However, the relevance of this study might be limited by its region-specific approach. Future research is deemed essential for deeper exploration into the integration of digital health within traditional oncology settings across diverse LMICs, emphasising the significance of telemedicine in digital-assisted care delivery reforms.
全球癌症研究主要集中在高收入国家（HICs）。低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）面临的独特挑战需要量身定制的研究方法，而在新冠疫情期间凸显的差距进一步加剧了这一需求。
本研究旨在剖析低收入和中等收入国家癌症护理的复杂性，以约旦为例进行研究。具体而言，该研究旨在对现行的癌症护理模式进行深入分析，并评估电子健康技术在加强癌症护理服务方面的变革潜力。
采用定性研究方法，对肿瘤医疗专业人员进行了深入的半结构化访谈。数据按照布劳恩和克拉克的指导方针进行归纳主题分析。
从分析的数据中，浮现出两个主要主题。首先，“当前癌症护理服务的现状”细分为三个不同的子主题。其次，“通过电子健康改善护理服务的机会”强调了数字健康改革的紧迫性。
本研究以约旦的医疗背景为参考，凸显了低收入和中等收入国家重新规划癌症护理的必要性。电子健康举措的变革潜力得到了体现。然而，本研究的相关性可能因其特定区域的方法而受到限制。未来的研究对于更深入地探索数字健康在不同低收入和中等收入国家传统肿瘤环境中的整合至关重要，强调远程医疗在数字辅助护理服务改革中的重要性。
