Intelligent Patient Navigator Mobile App For Anxiety And Preparation Of Colonoscopy

Background: Colonoscopy is the best method for screening and diagnosing colorectal diseases, but in ۲۰–۲۵% of cases, good preparation is not done, which leads to more waste of time, non-diagnosis and redoing it. Pain, fear of the results, concern about the presence of others, and lack of respect for privacy during the procedure cause anxiety and worry in patients, and it is important to find a way to reduce the anxiety of patients. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of using an intelligent patient navigator mobile app for anxiety and preparation of colonoscopy. Method: The present research was carried out in an experimental light. The data was collected from ۱-۱۱-۲۰۲۳ to ۱-۳-۲۰۲۴. The participants in the study were ۸۳ colonoscopy patients referred to Ayatollah Taleghani Medical Education Center, who were randomized into two control and intervention groups. In the control group, training was given as usual, and in the intervention group, training was done using the Mobile app. The research tools were a demographic questionnaire, the Boston bowel preparation scale [BBPS], and a colonoscopy anxiety questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS version ۲۰ software. Results: ۸۳ patients, ۵۳ men and ۳۰ women, with an average age of ۴۸.۴۰ years, participated in the study. The level of poor preparation using BBPS was ۵ people in the intervention group, ۱۷ people in the control group, ۲۷ people in the intervention group and ۱۶ people in the control group, and ۱۰ people in the intervention group and ۸ people in the control group. The result of the Fisher's exact test showed a significant difference in the preparation of patients (P<۰.۰۱). After the intervention, the mean (SD) of health anxiety in the intervention group was ۳۶.۹۷ (۸.۰۳) and in the control group was ۳۱.۹۲ (۹.۴۸). The result of the Mann U-Whitney test indicated a significant difference between the two groups (P<۰.۰۱). Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that education with using the mobile app is effective in preparing patients undergoing colonoscopy and reducing colonoscopy anxiety. It is emphasized that Intelligent patient navigator mobile apps should be used in patient