Investigating the efficacy of a smartphone application: breast awareness and breast cancer worry

Abstract

Background: To investigate if a smartphone application (App) designed to promote breast awareness (BA) can increase BA. To investigate if increasing BA will increase breast cancer worry. To identify the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) present in a freely available app. Methods: A mixed methods, single blind design was conducted. Participants were healthy women aged 19-60 (n=112). Breast awareness was measured using the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure. Breast cancer worry, risk perceptions and app usability were measured using self-report scales. Findings: Mixed analysis of variance revealed that the app failed to increase BA over time (F(1.86, 142.84)= .07, p= .92, η2p=.001). Neither use of the app or receipt of a BA leaflet increased breast cancer worry (F(2,154)= 2.53, p= .08, η2p=.03). A regression analysis revealed that risk perceptions was the only significant predictor of breast cancer worry, explaining 37 percent of the variance. A content analysis revealed 3 BCTs present in the app: prompts/cues, goal setting and modelling. Discussion: The app, although developed by a reputable source claims to increase BA but fails to do so. This adds to the growing literature highlighting the need for the inclusion of health psychology theory and evidence in the development of healthcare apps. The results of this study support the view that the inclusion of BCT’s does not guarantee behaviour change; theory must incorporated in intervention development. Finally this study provided support to the literature advocating for increasing BA, demonstrating that it does not create or predict breast cancer worry.