Ezeigwe Ogochukwu Juliet, Nwosu Kenechukwu Obumneme Samuel, Afolayan Oladipo Kunle, Ojaruega Akpevwe Amanda, Echere Jovita, Desai Manali, Onigbogi Modupe Olajumoke, Oladoyin Olajumoke Ope, Okoye Nnenna Chioma, Fwelo Pierre
Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United States.
Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, United States.
J Med Internet Res. 2025 Feb 5;27:e63403. doi: 10.2196/63403.
Mobile digital wellness and health apps play a significant role in optimizing health and aiding in cancer management and decision-making.
This study aims to identify the factors influencing the use of mobile health and wellness apps among cancer information seekers in the United States.
We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Health Information National Trends Survey. Our analysis focused on 4770 participants who sought cancer information. We performed weighted univariate and multivariable logistic regression to determine the association between the use of health and wellness apps and socioeconomic factors, medical history and conditions, and lifestyle and behavioral factors.
A total of 4770 participants who sought cancer information were included in the final analysis. Of these, 80.9% (n=2705) were health and wellness app users, while 19.1% (n=793) were nonusers. In the final adjusted model, participants with household incomes ≥US $50,000 had 49% higher adjusted odds of using these apps than those with incomes <US $50,000 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.49, 95% CI 1.02-2.14). College graduates and those with higher educational levels were avid users compared to those with a high school diploma or less (aOR=1.87, 95% CI 1.30-2.67). Internet users had over 3 times the odds of using these apps compared to nonusers (aOR=3.28, 95% CI 1.70-6.33). Participants within the age group 18-34 years were 3.70 times more likely (aOR=3.70, 95% CI 1.90-7.23) to use a health and wellness app compared to participants within the age group of 75 years and older.
Age, education, household income, and use of the internet are the major determinants of the adoption of digital health and wellness apps among seekers of cancer information. Hence, public health programs could be directed toward addressing these factors to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and management using these apps.
移动数字健康应用程序在优化健康以及辅助癌症管理和决策方面发挥着重要作用。
本研究旨在确定影响美国癌症信息寻求者使用移动健康应用程序的因素。
我们使用来自《健康信息国家趋势调查》的数据进行了一项横断面研究。我们的分析聚焦于4770名寻求癌症信息的参与者。我们进行了加权单变量和多变量逻辑回归，以确定使用健康应用程序与社会经济因素、病史和病情以及生活方式和行为因素之间的关联。
最终分析纳入了4770名寻求癌症信息的参与者。其中，80.9%（n = 2705）是健康应用程序用户，而19.1%（n = 793）是非用户。在最终调整模型中，家庭收入≥5万美元的参与者使用这些应用程序的调整后优势比高出收入<5万美元的参与者49%（调整后优势比[aOR]=1.49，95%置信区间1.02 - 2.14）。与高中文凭及以下者相比，大学毕业生和教育水平较高者是狂热用户（aOR = 1.87，95%置信区间1.30 - 2.67）。与非互联网用户相比，互联网用户使用这些应用程序的几率高出3倍多（aOR = 3.28，95%置信区间1.70 - 6.33）。与75岁及以上年龄组的参与者相比，18 - 34岁年龄组的参与者使用健康应用程序的可能性高3.70倍（aOR = 3.70，95%置信区间1.90 - 7.23）。
年龄、教育程度、家庭收入和互联网使用情况是癌症信息寻求者采用数字健康应用程序的主要决定因素。因此，公共卫生项目可针对这些因素，以利用这些应用程序改善癌症诊断、治疗和管理。
