{"id":25398,"date":"2025-02-19T09:49:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T08:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idibell.cat\/en\/?p=25398"},"modified":"2025-02-19T09:49:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T08:49:42","slug":"digital-tools-also-generate-a-strong-bond-between-patients-and-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idibell.cat\/en\/2025\/02\/digital-tools-also-generate-a-strong-bond-between-patients-and-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital tools also generate a strong bond between patients and professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women affected by breast cancer may have a high level of emotional distress that makes the accompaniment offered by professionals in the field of psycho-oncology essential. Given this, the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) created the <\/span>ICOnnecta’t<\/span><\/b> programme in 2019, which provides a digital preventive intervention, through a mobile application, to accompany patients throughout their disease process. However, can digital tools generate a link between patients and professionals in the same way that face-to-face visits to hospital consultations do?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A recent study carried out by a team of professionals from the <\/span>Psycho-oncology and Digital Health group (PSODIG)<\/span><\/a> of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), the <\/span>Psycho-oncology Service<\/span><\/a> of<\/span> the Catalan Institute of Oncology, and the Psycho-oncology Unit of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, compares digital interventions with face-to-face psychosocial care in patients affected by breast cancer. The study, published in the scientific journal <\/span>BjPsych Open<\/span><\/i><\/a>, has involved 184 patients and shows that a strong link is established in both cases.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The <\/span><\/b>therapeutic alliance<\/span><\/i><\/b> or the link between patient and professional\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In essence, this multicentre clinical trial has analysed whether the care relationship established between patients and therapists, which is called a <\/span>therapeutic alliance<\/span><\/i>, can also be maintained in a digital format.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the results, both patients and therapists developed a strong <\/span>therapeutic alliance <\/span><\/i>in the digital context, although the values were slightly lower than those observed with conventional treatment. Even so, the ICOnnecta’t application allows establishing and maintaining a solid and positive link: neither the quantity nor the type of digital intervention, whether through messages or videoconferences, affected the quality of this relationship. What<\/span> most influenced the establishment of the link was satisfaction with the application and its usability (i.e., how easy it is to use).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, the results suggest that technology can promote a sense of support and proximity, as long as the digital tool is well designed. As corroborated by the first author of the study and psycho-oncologist at ICO L’Hospitalet and researcher at IDIBELL, Aida Flix, <\/span>“this study confirms that digital tools can provide effective emotional support, even without constant and face-to-face communication as was done until now”.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These findings are key in making psychological support more accessible to patients who cannot receive face-to-face care. In this way, it is demonstrated that ICOnnecta’t is an innovative tool that can improve the emotional well-being and quality of life of many cancer patients, maintaining the care relationship in a digital environment.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"