Emojis accurately track cancer patients’ quality of life, new research reveals.
Emoticons are just as reliable as lengthy paperwork-heavy questionnaires in assessing cancer sufferers’ moods, a study found.
Lead author Dr Carrie Thompson from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, said: ‘Emojis are a near universal, popular form of communication, understandable by diverse populations, including those with low health literacy.
‘While further research is needed to validate the use of wearable activity monitors in cancer care, we believe this technology has the potential to improve the way we care for patients.’
The researchers hope their findings may lead to the development of devices that allow patients to communicate with their doctors via emojis between appointments.
