Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42061848›Full record

Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2026

Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of an App-Based Mindfulness Breast Care Program for Reducing Body Image Distress and Stigma Among Survivors of Breast Cancer: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Huicong Lin, Yujing Zhong, Shuang Zheng, Xiaoying Jiang, Yun Xu, Sally Chan, Shengjie Liu, Ka Ming Chow, Qingmo Yang, Wenhe Huang and 1 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Huicong Lin *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0293-9727
Yujing Zhong *School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7291-4408
Shuang Zheng *School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5941-2074
Xiaoying Jiang *School of Nursing, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8507-2465
Yun Xu *School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9414-2925
Sally ChanPresident Office, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-4645
Shengjie LiuSchool of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5970-3083
Ka Ming ChowThe Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7442-5197
Qingmo YangDepartment of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6904-9772
Wenhe HuangCancer Centre and Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Xiang'an Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4500-4139
Jiemin ZhuDepartment of Nursing, Women and Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9705-9575

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast cancer surgery and corresponding treatments have significant residual effects on survivors of breast cancer in China. Body image distress and stigma are persistent challenges that negatively affect their quality of life. Accessible, sustainable, and cost-effective support remains scarce.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an app-based mindfulness breast care (MBC) program in addressing body image distress and stigma for survivors of breast cancer.

methodsWe carried out a randomized controlled trial in 2 university-affiliated hospitals in China. Survivors of breast cancer who had completed primary treatments and had mobile phone internet access were recruited and randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to the intervention (3-month MBC program plus routine care) or the control group (routine care alone). Under the conceptualization of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, the MBC program was developed, including three modules: (1) Library, (2) Mindfulness Yoga, and (3) Mindfulness Practices. The primary outcomes measured were body image distress and stigma, and secondary outcomes included sleep quality, social support, and quality of life (physical and mental well-being). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3 months (T1), and 6 months (T2). Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data and generalized estimating equations were fitted to evaluate the effectiveness. The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained was used to measure cost-effectiveness.

resultsA total of 192 survivors of breast cancer participated in the baseline assessment, with 155 completing the 2 follow-up surveys. The median total usage duration was 199.60 (IQR 70.90-451.31; mean 360.59, SD 511.72) minutes, and total login frequency was 39.50 (IQR 19.00-86.50; mean 57.02, SD 50.26) times. The reduction in body image distress at T2 (adjusted mean difference -1.91; 95% CI -3.40 to -0.42; P=.01; d=-0.31), the reduction in stigma at T1 (adjusted mean difference -5.83; 95% CI -8.46 to -3.20; P<.001; d=-0.61) and T2 (adjusted mean difference -7.79; 95% CI -10.62 to -4.97; P<.001; d=-0.82), and the improvement in mental well-being at T1 (adjusted mean difference 4.44; 95% CI 1.70 to 7.18; P=.002; d=0.43) were statistically significantly greater in the intervention group compared with the control group. No statistically significant group differences were observed regarding sleep quality, social support, and physical well-being. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the intervention group gained more QALYs than the control group at T2 (adjusted mean difference 0.008; 95% CI 0.004 to 0.016; P=.01). The incremental cost per QALY gained at T2 was US $19,431.25, indicating a 57% probability that the MBC program is a cost-effective intervention at a threshold of US $37,530, three times the 2023 gross domestic product per capita of China.

conclusionsAn app-based MBC program was effective and potentially cost-effective and had the promise to be scalable for clinical practice.

trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200059952; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=167247.

Indexed as

Body ImageBreast NeoplasmsCost-Benefit AnalysisMindfulnessMobile ApplicationsSocial StigmaStress, PsychologicalSurvivorsAdultChinaCost-Effectiveness AnalysisFemaleHumansMiddle AgedQuality of Lifeapp-based mindfulness interventionbody image distressbreast cancercost-effectivenessquality of liferandomized controlled trialstigma

Identifiers

PMID42061848
PMCPMC13156539

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.