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Which eHealth Services Work Best? Examining Bundles of Services

Study Aim

To determine the sorts of eHealth services that work best in helping patients with breast cancer.

  • Using CHESS, the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System, to explore major types of services
  • Where should invest our eHealth resources?
  • What resources are responsible for therapeutic impact?

Service Types

  • Basic Information
    • Services that provide basic information on breast cancer and its treatment, e.g.,
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Library Articles
  • Support
    • Discussion Group
    • "Ask an Expert"
  • Skill Training
    • Easing Distress
    • Healthy Relating

Experimental Design

Sample Characteristics

Tentative Findings

Different types of ICCS packages produced different patterns of effects across the different outcomes:
  • Information & Support condition tended to produce the strongest effects on measures of information satisfaction.
  • However, Full CHESS condition with skill building services tended to produce stronger effects on a measure of perceived support.
  • None of the packages affected global quality of life.

Possible Implications

  • eHealth developers should concentrate on developing Information and Support services
  • It may be possible that if an ehealth program is too complex it will degrade effectiveness of otherwise effective elements
  • There is not a straightforward relation between use and efficacy: more use does not necessarily translate into better effects