Prostate Cancer Patient Journey Data

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. Digital health tools have been developed to capture the experience of patients and facilitate personalized treatment, however men are less likely to engage in consistent self-monitoring compared to women. This research evaluated the use of a mobile health app Health Storylines to capture data relevant to patient experience and treatment effectiveness among men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the impact of collaboration with a patient advocacy partner in educating patients on the value of using the app to support their treatment journey.

METHODS: Data entered into Health Storylines by men who reported a prostate cancer diagnosis between 2015 and 2021 was retrospectively analyzed to identify engagement patterns with self-care tools. Data includes quantitative tracking and free text entries from tools designed to support patients with a variety of health conditions, including prostate cancer.

RESULTS: 95 Health Storylines users reported Prostate Cancer among their conditions, and over 90% reported having at least one additional condition. The most common comorbid conditions include High blood pressure, Type II diabetes, Atopic dermatitis, Arthritis and Depression. Over half of users (58%) were over the age of 65. The most commonly used tools were the Medication Tracker, Daily Moods, and Symptom tracker. The most commonly reported mood were Happy, Neutral and Relieved. New registrations and frequency of the use of the app both increased in fall of 2021 when Health Storylines was adopted by a prostate cancer patient advocacy association.

CONCLUSIONS: While men are typically less likely to participate in digital health interventions relative to women, collaboration with a relevant patient advocacy organization impacted access and engagement with the Health Storylines app. Customized tools to capture condition-specific data created opportunities for enhanced shared decision making between patients and their treating physicians.