WhatsApp as a monitoring tool of palliative care

Abstract

Introduction. There is a growing need to explore new technological tools to improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers in the context of chronic and terminal illnesses. WhatsApp has become an everyday communication tool that many users are very familiar with. This tool has been little explored, despite its potential to facilitate healthcare in informal care settings. Objective. Explore the experiences of family members of patients with advanced cancer who received a telemedicine program via WhatsApp application in the context of home-based palliative care. Methodology. A descriptive study was conducted. A structured questionnaire was administered to caregivers of advanced cancer patients who died at home and received palliative care through a telemedicine model using WhatsApp as the primary means of communication. Results. Fifty-three caregivers were included in the study. 77.4 % of caregivers reported that WhatsApp was very easy to use, 94.3 % felt very satisfied, and all family members surveyed felt very supported. Conclusion. The results suggest that WhatsApp may be a helpful communication tool for home-based palliative follow-up, according to caregiver perceptions. However, further research using qualitative or mixed-methods approaches is needed to better understand its impact, benefits, and limitations in this context.