<![CDATA[Background: Psychoeducation has been shown to be an effective method for assisting patients with cancer by alleviating their psychological symptoms, particularly psychological distress. While the use of WhatsApp in medical settings to improve patient health outcomes is increasing, evidence supporting its effectiveness in patient education is limited. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether education via WhatsApp could influence psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Method: A quasi-experimental pre-post study design was employed at a referral cancer hospital in Indonesia. Sixty-six patients with advanced cancer were selected through purposive sampling and divided into an intervention group (n = 33) and a control group (n = 33). The intervention group received psychoeducational support via WhatsApp and participated in nurse-assisted online sessions for two weeks, while the control group received no intervention. The Distress Thermometer was used to measure distress levels at the baseline and one week post-intervention. Data were then analyzed using t-tests. Result: The paired sample t-test revealed a significant reduction in psychological distress in the intervention group (Mean difference = 0.909; 95% CI = 1.133 to 0.685; P < 0.001). In comparison, no significant change was observed in the control group (Mean difference = 0.242; 95% CI = 0.658 to -0.174; P = 0.244). Conclusion: The findings affirm that WhatsApp-based psychoeducational interventions play a crucial role in reducing psychological distress among patients with advanced cancer. Future research with extended follow-up periods is suggested to further assess the intervention's long-term effectiveness.]]>
