Symptom Monitoring App Use Associated With Medication Adherence Among Woman Survivors of Breast Cancer on Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy.

PURPOSE

Oral adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and death for women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. Because of adverse symptoms and socioecologic barriers, AET adherence rates are low. We conducted post hoc analyses of a randomized trial of a remote symptom and adherence monitoring app to evaluate characteristics associated with higher app use, satisfaction, and how app use was associated with AET adherence.

METHODS

Patients prescribed AET were randomly assigned to receive one of three intervention conditions: app, app + feedback, or enhanced usual care. Baseline and 6-month follow-up surveys, app use, and pillbox-monitored AET adherence data for app and app + feedback participants were used. Logistic regression evaluated the association between sociodemographic/clinical characteristics and app utilization and satisfaction, and how app use was associated with AET adherence (>80%).

RESULTS

Overall, 163 women with early-stage HR+ breast cancer were included; 35.0% had high app use (≥75% of weeks enrolled). No sociodemographic characteristics were associated with app use. Satisfaction with the app was higher among those who were younger (88.9% for age 31-49 years 54.9% for age 65+ years, < .001), identified as White (76.8% 60.1% for Black, = .045), had lower health literacy (85.4% 68.2% with higher health literacy, = .017), or were nonurban residents (85.7% 68.6% for urban, = .021). Most participants (90.3%) with high app use were AET-adherent compared with 66.8% for those with lower app use ( < .001).

CONCLUSION

Use of a remote monitoring app was similar across sociodemographic characteristics, and more frequent app use was associated with a higher likelihood of 6-month AET adherence. Encouraging women to monitor medication adherence and communicate adverse symptoms could improve AET adherence.