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Breast cancer survivors with sleep disturbances have positive attitudes toward text messaging-based mobile health interventions for improving sleep and physical activity.

This qualitative study explored preferences of 16 breast cancer survivors (mean age 59.3 years) with sleep disturbances for SMS text messaging-based interventions targeting sleep and physical activity. Most participants reported positive attitudes and high acceptance of text messaging and mobile apps, but not voice interactions, with daily reminders scheduled 1 hour before bedtime being acceptable.

Last updated: Jul 11, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score32/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Exploring Breast Cancer Survivors' Preferences for Text Messaging-Based Mobile Health Interventions Targeting Sleep and Physical Activity: Qualitative Study.

observational

Tsai CS, Szewczyk W, Lee H, Drerup M, Blakeney EA, Greenlee H, Heffner JL, Vasbinder A, Reding KW · JMIR formative research (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: May 2020 to March 2021
Intervention: Hypothetical SMS text messaging-based mobile health intervention targeting sleep and physical activity
Outcome: Participant preferences and attitudes toward text messaging-based interventions for sleep and physical activity
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Breast cancer survivors (n=16, mean age 59.3 years) currently experiencing sleep disturbances

Result:

PubMed: 42424632DOI: 10.2196/85386

Mechanism Graph

Qualitative focus groups and interviews conducted
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Thematic analysis applied to transcriptions
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Three themes identified: attitudes, user needs, technology habits
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Result: Positive attitudes and acceptance of text messaging for sleep and physical activity interventions

Limitations

  • ⚠Small sample size (n=16) limits generalizability
  • ⚠Qualitative design cannot establish causal relationships or quantify effectiveness

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of technology did breast cancer survivors prefer for sleep interventions?▼

Most participants preferred text messaging and mobile apps over voice interactions.

What features did participants find most helpful?▼

Reminders and accountability features, such as meeting physical activity goals, and bedtime and relaxation exercise reminders were most frequently mentioned.

What was the preferred timing for daily reminders?▼

A daily reminder scheduled for 1 hour before bedtime was found to be acceptable.

How many participants were in this study?▼

The study included 16 breast cancer survivors (13 in focus groups and 3 in individual interviews).

Products

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References

  1. 1.Tsai CS, Szewczyk W, Lee H, Drerup M, Blakeney EA, Greenlee H, Heffner JL, Vasbinder A, Reding KW. "Exploring Breast Cancer Survivors' Preferences for Text Messaging-Based Mobile Health Interventions Targeting Sleep and Physical Activity: Qualitative Study.." JMIR formative research, 2026. PMID: 42424632 DOI: 10.2196/85386
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.