App available for adolescent, young adult cancer survivors

Improving the quality of life and potential outcomes for adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer has become increasingly important.

Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, chair of the Cancer Alliance of Texas and doctoral student at the Texas A&M Health Science Center (TAMHSC) School of Rural Public Health, helped design the AYA Healthy Survivorship phone app, which targets cancer survivors ages 15-39.

Regents Professor Marcia Ory, Ph.D., of the TAMHSC-School of Rural Public Health, notes young adult cancer survivors often lack clear guidance about cancer follow-up care and what can be done to foster healthy survivorship.

The AYA Healthy Survivorship phone app assesses health habits using an interactive assessment tool that includes a body mass index (BMI) calculator. The assessment gives a score for lifestyle, physical activity, diet and nutrition, and well-being.

The app emphasizes the importance of engaging in health-promoting lifestyle behaviors and establishing a survivorship plan. It offers personalized tips for being more active, eating better and living a healthier life, along with current guidelines on cancer prevention screening.

The AYA Healthy Survivorship app is available for download through iTunes .