Mobile app care utility: Patients and caregivers perception.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (28_suppl) ◽  
pp. 157-157
Author(s):  
Ingrid Oakley-Girvan ◽  
Reem Yunis ◽  
Elaine Kurtovich ◽  
Sara Aghaee ◽  
Ai Kubo ◽  
...  

157 Background: There is increasing appreciation for the insight provided by combining low-burden home-based remote digital measurements with patient and observer reported outcomes. In this study, we assessed perspectives of cancer patients and their caregivers on the utility of a mobile app combined with a smartwatch for collection of specific outcomes and to provide clinically actionable data. Methods: In a decentralized clinical trial we consented and enrolled (10/12/2020-4/30/2021) dyads that consisted of a cancer patient and their informal caregiver. All participants had to own an Apple iPhone 6 or higher. Patients were provided with an Apple watch 3 or 4 and downloaded a patient informed mobile app (DigiBioMarC). Caregivers only download a caregiver informed mobile app (TOGETHERCare). Participants were asked to use their respective app for 28 days during which time specific surveys and activity requests were delivered through the mobile app; digital measures of physical activity were collected via the smartwatch. At the end of the app usage period, questions were asked in a video interview about the patient and caregiver perspectives on use of their respective apps and what they believed could be impacted if their doctor were to receive the app information. Respondents could select Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Results: Fifty-four dyads were enrolled; four were unable to continue due to a decline in health. Questions were drafted and IRB approved in time to be asked of 45 dyads. The Table lists some results and the percent of respondents that selected Strongly Agree or Agree. Conclusions: Patients and caregivers reported that both apps would encourage them to take better care of themselves/be more physically active and would improve emotional wellbeing. A high proportion of respondents also felt the apps would improve communication with their doctor and provide early important information for the doctor to act upon compared to usual care. Additional work in a large randomized trial is planned to evaluate specific care outcomes. [Table: see text]

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 192-193
Author(s):  
Rinat Cohen ◽  
Gal Maydan ◽  
Shai Brill ◽  
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield

Abstract Family caregivers (FCs) of institutionalized noncommunicative older persons reported multiple unmet communication needs focusing on the need to receive reliable and regular updates on the patient’s condition. We have developed a mobile app for improving communication between FCs and healthcare professionals (HPs), based on 152 interviews with FCs and 13 discussion groups with HPs from four Israeli geriatric facilities. Both parties participated in app planning, tailoring it to their needs and abilities. App use implementation encountered major obstacles including the bureaucratic process concerning signing contracts between the university and software development firms, which hindered the process for a full year; data security department required disproportionate security levels that interfered with user experience and delayed the development process; the study’s definition varied across different ethics/Helsinki committees (Institutional Review Boards; IRBs), which led to different demands, e.g., insurance for medical clinical trials although no drugs or medical device were involved; lack of cooperation by mid-level staff members despite the institutional adoption of the app project; low utilization by HPs resulted in FCs not receiving timely responses. Despite these and other obstacles, we tested app use for 15 months in one facility in a pre-post-design with intervention and control groups, and we have since begun testing it in another facility. FCs who had used the app had positive feedback and wished to continue using it. App use optimization requires implementation planning, assimilating changes in each facility’s work procedures and HP’s engagement and motivation and thus depends on institutional procedures and politics.


Author(s):  
Michelle T. Bover Manderski ◽  
Michael B. Steinberg ◽  
Olivia A. Wackowski ◽  
Binu Singh ◽  
William J. Young ◽  
...  

We conducted a survey experiment among US physicians to evaluate whether question wording impacted perceptions about the health effects of nicotine. 926 physicians were randomized to receive one of two versions of a question matrix that asked about the “extent to which they agree or disagree that ‘nicotine’ (Version 1) or ‘nicotine, on its own,’ (Version 2) directly contributes to” birth defects, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, depression, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We evaluated whether question condition predicted strong agreement and/or agreement with each statement, and assessed demographic correlates of each outcome while adjusting for question version. Physicians who received Version 2 were less likely to “strongly agree” that nicotine directly caused birth defects (Prevalence Ratio (PR) 0.84, 95% CI 0.72–0.98), CVD (PR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.95), cancer (PR 0.81, 95% CI 0.75–0.87), and COPD (PR 0.78, 95% CI 0.72–0.84). Females were more likely to “strongly agree” that nicotine directly contributes to birth defects and cancer, and family physicians were most likely to “strongly agree” that nicotine directly contributes to CVD, cancer, and COPD. Question wording is important when measuring physicians’ beliefs about nicotine; however, even after accounting for question version, misperceptions about the direct health effects of nicotine were common and varied by sex and specialty.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Juan A. Escobar-Alvarez ◽  
Rocio Carrasco ◽  
Pedro R. Olivares ◽  
Sebastián Feu ◽  
Robinson Ramírez-Velez ◽  
...  

Agility is a key component of physical fitness in adolescents. However, the measurement of this variable is usually complex, requiring high cost instruments and complex software. To test the validity and reliability of a novel iPhone app (Lap Tracker Auto-timer) to measure agility performance among adolescents. Twenty-four physically active adolescents (15.7 ± 2.3 years old) participated in two testing sessions (separated by 7 days). They performed three 4 x 10 m agility test trials measured by Photocell or the iPhone app. The correlation analysis revealed high validity (r = .92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .88 – .95), with a standard error of the estimate of 0.56 s (p < 0.001). The coefficient of variation (CV; 0.09) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC; .93; 95% CI = .85 – .97) showed an acceptable reliability. This study demonstrated that the iPhone App Lap Tracker Auto-timer could be a valid, reliable and low-cost tool to evaluate agility performance in adolescents. However, more studies are required to guarantee the utility of this app.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1476718X2097132
Author(s):  
Susan Sonnenschein ◽  
Michele Stites ◽  
Rebecca Dowling

This study investigated the beliefs parents of preschoolers ( N = 126) have for facilitating their children’s reading and mathematics development. The study used an online survey distributed via social media to examine parents’ views of their children’s home-based reading and mathematics engagement, parents’ confidence to support their children’s reading and mathematics development, and the information they received and would like to receive from their children’s teachers. The results demonstrated three patterns: (1) parents prioritized children’s reading over their mathematics development, (2) the difference in children’s reported engagement in such activities may come from parents lacking confidence in how to foster their children’s mathematics skills, and (3) almost two/thirds of the parents wanted to receive more information from their children’s teachers, typically about children’s progress and activities and apps to do with their children at home. Preschool teachers play an important role in supporting home learning of reading and mathematics. Preschool teachers and parents need to collaborate on home-based activities that support such learning. We have demonstrated that even highly educated parents may lack the confidence to support their young children’s academic growth, particularly in mathematics, and so the support teachers provide to parents is critical.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry E Smallbone ◽  
Thomas FE Drake-Brockman ◽  
Britta S von Ungern-Sternberg

Follow-up for ongoing management and monitoring of patients is important in clinical practice and research. While common, telephone follow-up is resource intensive and, in our experience, yields low success rates. Electronic communication using mobile devices including smartphones and tablets can provide efficient alternatives — including SMS (text), online forms and mobile apps. To assess attitudes towards electronic follow-up, we surveyed 642 parents and carers at Perth Children’s Hospital, targeting demographics, device ownership and attitudes towards electronic follow-up. Mobile phone ownership was effectively universal. Almost all respondents were happy to communicate electronically with the hospital. Promisingly, 93.2% of respondents were happy to receive follow-up SMSs from the hospital and 80.3% were happy to reply to SMS questions. There was less enthusiasm regarding other modalities, with 59.9% happy to use a website and 69.0% happy to use a mobile app. The results support the introduction of electronic communication for follow-up in our paediatric population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19241-e19241
Author(s):  
Patrick John Skeffington ◽  
Laura Haynes ◽  
Donna Raymond ◽  
Heather McCarthy

e19241 Background: Use of oral chemotherapy has increased dramatically over the past few years. Patient often are required to obtain their oral chemotherapy from a third party specialty pharmacy while continuing to receive their other medications from other pharmacies. Many community pharmacists lack knowledge about oral chemotherapy, safe practices, or effective counseling of these medications. Objective: To assess patient perception and satisfaction of a pharmacist 1 on 1 appointment when starting oral chemotherapy. Methods: A program was designed at SCCC whereby all patients starting oral chemotherapy are scheduled for an appointment with a clinical oncology pharmacist to update medication lists, evaluate adherence, and conduct a "brown bag" visit where patients are allowed to voice concerns and ask questions. After each appointment patients were asked to fill out a short survey, The Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist Services Questionnaire (PSPSQ 2.0). Results: PSPSQ 2.0 uses a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 4. From October 2016 to June 2019, 174 patients had appointments and 55 returned their surveys yielding a 30% response rate. Average scores hovered around 1 (strongly agree) for each question except question 11 (the only negatively worded question). Question 11 averaged 3.1; Disagree. Conclusions: Patients who were seen by an oncology clinical pharmacist to evaluate adherence, participate in a "brown bag" clinic and open discussion, found the appointment worthy of their time.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imke Stalling ◽  
Birte Marie Albrecht ◽  
Friederike Doerwald ◽  
Karin Bammann

Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) is one of the key determinants of healthy ageing. Research showed that time allocation plays an important role in PA. Therefore, an understanding of the time use of older adults is crucial for developing PA programs. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of time allocation and objectively measured PA, and several health indicators in older adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study all 915 participants of the OUTDOOR ACTIVE study were included. The participants were 65 to 75 years old and resided in a subdistrict of Bremen, Germany (50.9% female). The active daily domains were derived from the SLOTH model (leisure activities, occupation, active transport, home-based activities). PA was objectively measured with accelerometers over seven consecutive days. Binary logistic regressions were used to test the associations of total PA and time spent in the domains with several health indicators (self-rated health, overweight, obesity, activities of daily living (ADL), handgrip strength). Results Participants over the age of 70 years were significantly less physically active than those under 70 years and women were significantly more physically active than men. Regardless of age and sex, most time was spent on home-based activities (women: 118.5 ± 87.8 min/day; men: 80.2 ± 69.4 min/day). Both PA and time spent on leisure activities were associated with a lower risk of bad self-rated health (0.36; 95%-CL: 0.20, 0.65 for PA; 0.93; 95%-CL: 0.87, 0.99 for leisure activities) and less limitations in ADL. PA and active transport seemed to lower the risk of overweight (0.39; 95%-CL: 0.25, 0.62 for PA; 0.80; 95%-CL: 0.69, 0.93 for active transport) and obesity (0.36; 95%-CL: 0.21, 0.60 for PA; 0.77; 95%-CL: 0.64, 0.92 for active transport). Having an occupation was associated with a lower risk of bad self-rated health (0.60; 95%-CL: 0.40, 0.92). Conclusions The results of this study provide insights in the time allocation to active daily domains and total PA of older adults, as well as the associations with health indicators. These findings have important implications for the development of PA programs. Future research should examine the associations further in longitudinal studies.


10.2196/16395 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e16395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Baltaxe ◽  
Cristina Embid ◽  
Eva Aumatell ◽  
María Martínez ◽  
Anael Barberan-Garcia ◽  
...  

Background Home-based noninvasive ventilation has proven cost-effective. But, adherence to therapy still constitutes a common clinical problem. We hypothesized that a behavioral intervention supported by a mobile health (mHealth) app could enhance patient self-efficacy. It is widely accepted that mHealth-supported services can enhance productive interactions among the stakeholders involved in home-based respiratory therapies. Objective This study aimed to measure changes in self-efficacy in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to diverse etiologies during a 3-month follow-up period after the intervention. Ancillary objectives were assessment of usability and acceptability of the mobile app as well as its potential contribution to collaborative work among stakeholders. Methods A single-blind, single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted between February 2019 and June 2019 with 67 adult patients with chronic respiratory failure undergoing home-based noninvasive ventilation. In the intervention group, a psychologist delivered a face-to-face motivational intervention. Follow-up was supported by a mobile app that allowed patients to report the number of hours of daily noninvasive ventilation use and problems with the therapy. Advice was automatically delivered by the mobile app in case of a reported problem. The control group received usual care. The primary outcome was the change in the Self Efficacy in Sleep Apnea questionnaire score. Secondary outcomes included app usability, app acceptability, continuity of care, person-centered care, and ventilatory parameters. Results Self-efficacy was not significantly different in the intervention group after the intervention (before: mean 3.4, SD 0.6; after: mean 3.4, SD 0.5, P=.51). No changes were observed in adherence to therapy nor quality of life. Overall, the mHealth tool had a good usability score (mean 78 points) and high acceptance rate (mean score of 7.5/10 on a Likert scale). It was considered user-friendly (mean score of 8.2/10 on a Likert scale) and easy to use without assistance (mean score of 8.5/10 on a Likert scale). Patients also scored the perception of continuity of care and person-centered care as high. Conclusions The integrated care intervention supported by the mobile app did not improve patient self-management. However, the high acceptance of the mobile app might indicate potential for enhanced communication among stakeholders. The study identified key elements required for mHealth tools to provide effective support to collaborative work and personalized care. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03932175; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03932175


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 1576-1586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayuri M Naruse ◽  
Piers L Cornelissen ◽  
Mark Moss

This experimental study evaluated the differential effects of ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ massage on wellbeing in healthy but stressed couples. Forty-two volunteers started the study and of these, 38 (i.e. 19 couples) completed a 3-week massage course. Emotional stress and mental clarity were assessed before and after mutual massage between each pair of adults belonging to a couple at home. While massage benefitted both parties’ wellbeing within a session, critically we found no differences in wellbeing between those ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ massage. These novel findings suggest that home-based massage may be advocated to couples as a ‘selves-care’, health-promoting behaviour.


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