{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,1]],"date-time":"2026-08-01T00:45:11Z","timestamp":1785545111342,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Cancer"],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background<\/jats:title>\n Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) face significant challenges in accessing coordinated care due to the complexity and multimodality of their treatment and the impact on vital functions. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted cancer care while accelerating the adoption of digital health solutions. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer potential solutions for remote symptom monitoring, communication between patients and providers, and continuity of care. Nevertheless, their acceptance among patients with HNC remains limited due to age-related digital divides and concerns about accessibility.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with HNC and to explore their attitudes toward mHealth apps as a supplement to cancer treatment.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey was conducted between January 2023 and May 2024 at Julius Maximilian University of W\u00fcrzburg in Germany. A total of 355 patients with HNC were recruited and completed the structured \u201cCancer and COVID-19\u201d survey via the Corona Health app or in paper form. The 25-question survey assessed sociodemographic information, the impact of the pandemic on diagnosis\/treatment\/aftercare, and interest in mHealth apps. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were used for the analysis.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n The cohort comprised 261 (74%) men and 94 (26%) women with an average age of 67 (SD 11.5) years. Most participants (n=264, 74%) stated that the pandemic had no impact on their cancer treatment, although 20% (n=71) experienced disruptions, particularly in follow-up appointments and treatment monitoring. Only 10% (n=36) currently used health apps, but 57% (n=203) expressed a willingness to use mHealth technologies. Younger patients, patients with higher education, and participants who were more affected by the pandemic showed greater openness to digital health solutions. The most significant barriers included age, digital literacy, and perceived usefulness, while preferred app features included interaction with physicians (n=160, 45%) and data sharing with researchers (n=153, 43%).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Although the COVID-19 pandemic had only a limited direct impact on HNC care at the institution at hand, it revealed significant patient interest in mHealth apps. However, significant barriers remain, particularly among older adults with lower digital literacy. Future mHealth initiatives should focus on improving digital literacy, addressing privacy concerns, demonstrating clinical benefits, and developing personalized, accessible solutions to optimize cancer care for this vulnerable population.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/65192","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T16:43:12Z","timestamp":1776271392000},"page":"e65192-e65192","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Exploring the Adoption of Mobile Health Apps Among Patients with Head and Neck Cancer After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5574-925X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Wilhelm","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3694-6354","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthias","family":"Scheich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2561-7923","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Winter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9051-2004","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"Allgaier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-3044-3847","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johanna","family":"Rippstein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0743-6128","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sylke Ruth","family":"Zeissig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1522-785X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"R\u00fcdiger","family":"Pryss","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2190-5349","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carsten","family":"Vogel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6874-9478","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes","family":"Schobel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2248-1821","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katrin","family":"Radeloff","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-4766-8227","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Karolonek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3396-5995","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agmal","family":"Scherzad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6995-1849","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stephan","family":"Hackenberg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4735-700X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rudolf","family":"Hagen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2023.1131639","article-title":"Editorial: challenges and their implications for the clinical practice of head and neck cancer","volume":"13","author":"Wirth","journal-title":"Front Oncol"},{"issue":"11","key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1462","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annonc.2020.07.011","article-title":"Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, larynx, oropharynx and hypopharynx: EHNS-ESMO-ESTRO clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up","volume":"31","author":"Machiels","journal-title":"Ann Oncol"},{"issue":"1","key":"R3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1080\/07853890.2020.1802060","article-title":"Challenges in diagnosing head and neck cancer in primary health care","volume":"53","author":"Nieminen","journal-title":"Ann Med"},{"key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2020.00688","article-title":"Follow-up of head and neck cancer survivors: tipping the balance of intensity","volume":"10","author":"Szturz","journal-title":"Front Oncol"},{"issue":"11","key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2115","DOI":"10.1093\/annonc\/mdu105","article-title":"Best practices in the management of the psycho-oncologic aspects of head and neck cancer patients: recommendations from the European Head and Neck Cancer Society Make Sense Campaign","volume":"25","author":"Reich","journal-title":"Ann Oncol"},{"issue":"1","key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/life12010078","article-title":"The digital health: from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic onwards","volume":"12","author":"Giansanti","journal-title":"Life (Basel)"},{"issue":"2","key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.3233\/THC-161259","article-title":"Development of a mobile application for oral cancer screening","volume":"25","author":"Gomes","journal-title":"Technol Health Care"},{"issue":"11","key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/bjs.12009","article-title":"WeChat app in the follow up of thyroid cancer patients after thyroidectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"107","author":"Meng","journal-title":"Br J Surg"},{"issue":"1","key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/24619","article-title":"Use of a remote oncology pharmacy service platform for patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: implementation and user acceptance evaluation","volume":"23","author":"Chen","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/24667","article-title":"A mobile patient-facing app for tracking patient-reported outcomes in head and neck cancer survivors: single-arm feasibility study","volume":"5","author":"Teckie","journal-title":"JMIR Form Res"},{"issue":"6","key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/mhealth.7689","article-title":"Mobile health in oncology: a patient survey about app-assisted cancer care","volume":"5","author":"Kessel","journal-title":"JMIR Mhealth Uhealth"},{"issue":"5","key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2163","DOI":"10.1007\/s00520-015-3004-2","article-title":"Feasibility of an eHealth application \u201cOncoKompas\u201d to improve personalized survivorship cancer care","volume":"24","author":"Duman-Lubberding","journal-title":"Support Care Cancer"},{"issue":"6","key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.1038\/s43018-020-0074-y","article-title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care","volume":"1","author":"Richards","journal-title":"Nat Cancer"},{"issue":"10","key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1219","DOI":"10.1007\/s11912-022-01301-4","article-title":"Oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic: a lockdown perspective","volume":"24","author":"Boniface","journal-title":"Curr Oncol Rep"},{"issue":"6","key":"R15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1317","DOI":"10.1002\/hed.26197","article-title":"Optimizing your telemedicine visit during the COVID-19 pandemic: practice guidelines for patients with head and neck cancer","volume":"42","author":"Prasad","journal-title":"Head Neck"},{"issue":"14","key":"R16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18147395","article-title":"Corona Health-a study- and sensor-based mobile app platform exploring aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"18","author":"Beierle","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vogel C Pryss R Schobel J Schlee W Beierle F . Developing apps for researching the COVID-19 pandemic with the TrackYourHealth platform. Presented at: 2021 IEEE\/ACM 8th International Conference on Mobile Software Engineering and Systems (MobileSoft); May 17-19, 2021; Madrid, Spain. 2021.[doi: 10.1109\/MobileSoft52590.2021.00015]","DOI":"10.1109\/MobileSoft52590.2021.00015"},{"issue":"5","key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1763","DOI":"10.1213\/ANE.0000000000002864","article-title":"Correlation coefficients: appropriate use and interpretation","volume":"126","author":"Schober","journal-title":"Anesth Analg"},{"issue":"2","key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.3390\/j4020017","article-title":"Medical device regulation efforts for mHealth apps during the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014an experience report of Corona Check and Corona Health","volume":"4","author":"Holfelder","journal-title":"J"},{"issue":"1","key":"R20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41597-026-07015-7","article-title":"Longitudinal mental health data collected via the Corona Health smartphone app during COVID-19","volume":"13","author":"Winter","journal-title":"Sci Data"},{"issue":"11","key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2020-043828","article-title":"Estimated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer services and excess 1-year mortality in people with cancer and multimorbidity: near real-time data on cancer care, cancer deaths and a population-based cohort study","volume":"10","author":"Lai","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"8","key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2020.17267","article-title":"Changes in the number of US patients with newly identified cancer before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic","volume":"3","author":"Kaufman","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"2","key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1055\/a-2007-2002","article-title":"COVID-19: collateral damage in head and neck oncology and preventive measures for future pandemics","volume":"102","author":"Wilhelm","journal-title":"Laryngorhinootologie"},{"issue":"6","key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103966","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjoto.2023.103966","article-title":"Prognostic significance of time trends in treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma","volume":"44","author":"Balchander","journal-title":"Am J Otolaryngol"},{"issue":"6","key":"R25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.883","article-title":"Patients\u2019 experience and satisfaction using telemedicine for outpatient services in a tertiary cancer center in Qatar during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study","volume":"5","author":"Elhakeem","journal-title":"Health Sci Rep"},{"issue":"1","key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.adro.2020.09.016","article-title":"Evaluation of mobile health applications to track patient-reported outcomes for oncology patients: a systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Lu","journal-title":"Adv Radiat Oncol"},{"key":"R27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmedinf.2019.06.004","article-title":"A pilot study of a smartphone-based monitoring intervention on head and neck cancer patients undergoing concurrent chemo-radiotherapy","volume":"129","author":"Zini","journal-title":"Int J Med Inform"},{"key":"R28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/46189","article-title":"App-controlled treatment monitoring and support for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy: results from a prospective randomized controlled trial","volume":"25","author":"Sprave","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/42092","article-title":"Evaluating barriers and facilitators to the uptake of mhealth apps in cancer care using the consolidated framework for implementation research: scoping literature review","volume":"9","author":"Ardito","journal-title":"JMIR Cancer"},{"issue":"1","key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-18036-5","article-title":"Barriers and facilitators to health technology adoption by older adults with chronic diseases: an integrative systematic review","volume":"24","author":"Bertolazzi","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"7","key":"R31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/18868","article-title":"Privacy assessment in mobile health apps: scoping review","volume":"8","author":"Benjumea","journal-title":"JMIR Mhealth Uhealth"},{"key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/43808","article-title":"Problems and barriers related to the use of digital health applications: scoping review","volume":"25","author":"Giebel","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.906089","article-title":"Research progress on digital health literacy of older adults: a scoping review","volume":"10","author":"Wang","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"R34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/37330","article-title":"Features of cancer mHealth apps and evidence for patient preferences: scoping literature review","volume":"9","author":"Vaffis","journal-title":"JMIR Cancer"},{"issue":"1","key":"R35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1200\/CCI.17.00107","article-title":"Prescribing an app? Oncology providers\u2019 views on mobile health apps for cancer care","volume":"1","author":"Berkowitz","journal-title":"JCO Clin Cancer Inform"}],"container-title":["JMIR Cancer"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/cancer.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e65192","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T22:29:53Z","timestamp":1785536993000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/cancer.jmir.org\/2026\/1\/e65192"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"references-count":35,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/65192","relation":{},"ISSN":["2369-1999"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2369-1999","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"article-number":"v12i11e65192"}}