Empowering Cancer Patients Through Self-Advocacy: The Strong Together Mobile App

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed "Strong Together," a serious game implemented as a mobile app designed to improve self-advocacy skills among patients with cancer. Self-advocacy involves making informed decisions about care, effectively communicating with healthcare teams, and balancing social support. The game presents scenarios where participants choose behaviors that reflect self-advocacy skills, with the goal of keeping their virtual patient healthy and strong. This innovative tool aims to empower patients and enhance their quality of life.

Description

"Strong Together" is a mobile app that uses a serious game format to teach self-advocacy skills to cancer patients. The game includes short scenarios where participants select behaviors for their animated patient, learning the impact of their decisions. The app is based on the conceptual framework of self-advocacy defined by Dr. Teresa Hagan Thomas and is unique in its focus on this aspect of patient care. The game has been developed in collaboration with Simcoach Games and has undergone multiple rounds of coding and refinement.

Applications

• Patient education and empowerment
• Cancer care and support
• Healthcare communication training
• Quality of life improvement for cancer patients

Advantages

The "Strong Together" app offers a novel approach to teaching self-advocacy skills, filling a gap in existing patient education tools. By using a serious game format, it engages patients in an interactive and meaningful way, potentially leading to better health outcomes. The app is accessible and can be used by patients at their convenience, making it a practical tool for widespread use in cancer care.

Invention Readiness

The app is currently at the prototype stage, with initial studies demonstrating its feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy. Ongoing development and testing aim to further validate the app and expand its use.

IP Status

Mobile App