scholarly journals Usability of a mobile application on diabetic foot self-care

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Dean Barbosa Marques ◽  
Thereza Maria Magalhães Moreira ◽  
Thaís Vaz Jorge ◽  
Sara Maria Soares Rabelo ◽  
Rhanna Emanuela Fontenele Lima de Carvalho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objectives: to assess the usability of an app prototype for diabetic foot self-care by an end user. Methods: a descriptive study that uses heuristic assessment of a hybrid app usability. Fifteen users of an outpatient diabetes care service in a capital of Northeastern Brazil participated in the study during April 2018. The usability measurement tool called Smartphone Usability questionnaiRE was applied. Results: the lowest score was 77 and the highest was 112, with an average usability of 96.1 points. Usability was framed in the last two levels, 70 and 8o. Users now strongly agree (level 70) and fully (level 80) with the assessed items, which represents good usability of the apps prototype. Conclusions: the final product developed focuses on user needs and requirements, which can ensure usability based on effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction triad.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Ploderer ◽  
Ross Brown ◽  
Leonard Si Da Seng ◽  
Peter Lazzarini ◽  
Jaap van Netten

BACKGROUND Without effective self-care, people with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are at risk of prolonged healing times, hospitalization, amputation, and reduced quality of life. Despite these consequences, adherence to DFU self-care remains low. New strategies are needed to engage people in the self-care of their DFUs. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the usability and usefulness of a new mobile application to engage people with DFUs in self-care. METHODS We developed a new mobile application, “MyFootCare”, to engage patients with DFU through goal-setting, progress monitoring, and reminders in self-care. Key features included novel visual analytics that automatically extracts and monitors DFU size information from mobile phone photos of the foot. A functional prototype of MyFootCare was created and evaluated through a user-centred design process with 11 participants with DFUs. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews discussing existing self-care practices and observations of MyFootCare with participants. Data were analysed qualitatively through thematic analysis. RESULTS Key themes were: (1) Participants already used mobile phone photos to monitor their DFU progress, but (2) had limited experience with using smartphone applications. (3) Participants desired the objective DFU size data provided by the tracking feature of MyFootCare to monitor their DFU progress. (4) Participants were ambivalent about the MyFootCare goal setting and diary features, commenting that these features were useful but also that it was unlikely that they would use them. (5) Participants desired to share their MyFootCare data with their clinicians to demonstrate engagement in self-care and to reflect on their progress. CONCLUSIONS MyFootCare shows promising features to engage people in DFU self-care. Most notably, ulcer size data is useful to monitor progress and engage people. However, more work is needed to improve the usability and accuracy of MyFootCare, i.e., by refining the process of taking and analysing DFU photos and removing unnecessary features. These findings open the door for further work to develop a system that is easy to use and functions in everyday life conditions, and to trial it with people with DFUs and their carers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usman Ependi

Heuristic evaluation merupakan salah satu bentuk usability testing perangkat lunak yang dinilai oleh pengguna (evaluator). Dalam melakukan heuristic evaluation instrumen penilaian terdiri dari sepuluh (10) pernyataan dengan lima pilihan jawaban dalam skala severity ratings. Dalam penelitian ini heuristic evaluation terhadap aplikasi Depo Auto 2000 Tanjung Api-Api Palembang yang dilakukan oleh 4 evaluator.  Hasil dari heuristic evaluation dikelompokkan kedalam  masing-masing instrumen yaitu visibility of system status dengan nilai 0,75, match between system and the real world dengan nilai 0,25, user control and freedom dengan nilai 0,25, consistency and standards dengan nilai 0,75, error prevention dengan nilai 1, recognition rather than recall dengan nilai 1,25, flexibility and efficiency of use dengan nilai 0,25, Aesthetic and minimalist design dengan nilai 0,25, help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors dengan nilai 1 dan Help and documentation dengan nilai 0. Dari hasil heuristic evaluation yang dilakukan menunjukkan bahwa evaluator memberikan nilai 0 dan 1 aplikasi Depo Atuo 2000 Tanjung Api-Api Palembang. Hasil penilaian tersebut menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi yang buat tidak ada masalah usability dan hanya memiliki cosmetic problem sehingga aplikasi Depo Auto 2000 Tanjung Api Api Palembang  dapat dinyatakan layak untuk didistribusikan kepada pengguna akhir (end user). 


2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Edwards
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Davies ◽  
Bie Nio Ong ◽  
Sudeh Cheraghi-Sohi ◽  
Katherine Perryman ◽  
Caroline Sanders

BACKGROUND Background: There is a growing interest in using mobile applications in supporting health and wellbeing. Evidence directly from people with dementia regarding the acceptability, usability and usefulness of mobile apps is limited. It builds on ‘My Health Guide’ which was co-designed with people with cognitive disabilities. . OBJECTIVE Objective This paper describes the protocol of a study evaluating an app designed for supporting wellbeing with people living with dementia, specifically focusing on enhanced safety through improved communication METHODS Method: The study will employ design research, using participatory qualitative research methods over three cycles of evaluation with service users, their families and practitioners. The study will be developed in partnership with a specialist home care service in England. A purposive case selection will be used to ensure that the cases exemplify differences in experiences. The app will be evaluated in a ‘walkthrough’ workshop by people living with early stage dementia and then trialled at home by up to 12 families in a ‘try-out’ cycle. An amended version will be evaluated in a final ‘walkthrough’ workshop in cycle 3. Data will be collected from at least four data sources during the try-out phase and analysed thematically (people with dementia, carers, practitioners and app usage). An explanatory, multiple-case study design will be used to synthesise and present the evidence from the three cycles drawing on Normalisation Process Theory to support interpretation of the findings. RESULTS Results: The study is ready to be implemented but has been paused to protect vulnerable individuals during the Coronavirus in 2020. The findings will be particularly relevant for understanding how to support vulnerable people living in the community during social distancing and the period following the pandemic, as well as providing insight into the challenges of social isolation arising from living with dementia CONCLUSIONS Discussion: Evaluating a mobile application for enhancing communication, safety and wellbeing for people living with dementia contributes to key ambitions enshrined in policy and practice, championing the use of digital technology and supporting people with dementia to live safely in their own homes. The study uses a co-design method to enable the voice of users with dementia to highlight the benefits and challenges of technology and shape future development of apps that potentially enhances safety through improved communication.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Dorsch ◽  
Karen B. Farris ◽  
Brigid E. Rowell ◽  
Scott L. Hummel ◽  
Todd M. Koelling

BACKGROUND Successful management of heart failure (HF) involves guideline based medical therapy as well as self-care behavior. As a result, the management of HF is moving toward a proactive real-time technological model of assisting patients with monitoring and self-management. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application intervention that enhances self-monitoring on health-related quality of life, self-management, and reduces HF readmissions. METHODS A single-center randomized controlled trial was performed. Patients greater than 45 years of age and admitted for acute decompensated HF or recently discharged in the past 4 weeks were included. The intervention group used a mobile application (App). The intervention prompted daily self-monitoring and promoted self-management. The control group (No App) received usual care. The primary outcome was the change in Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) from baseline to 6 and 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were the Self-Care Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) questionnaire and recurrent HF admissions. RESULTS Eighty-three patients were enrolled and completed all baseline assessments. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups with the exception of HF etiology. The App group had a reduced MLHFQ at 6 weeks (37.5 ± 3.5 vs. 48.2 ± 3.7, P=0.039) but not at 12 weeks (44.2 ± 4 vs. 45.9 ± 4, P=0.778) compared to No App. There was no effect of the App on the SCHFI at 6 or 12 weeks. The time to first HF admission was not statistically different between the App versus No App groups (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.39-2.02, P=0.781) over 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS The mobile application intervention improved MLHFQ at 6 weeks, but did not sustain its effects at 12 weeks. No effect was seen on HF self-care. Further research is needed to enhance engagement in the application for a longer period of time and to determine if the application can reduce HF admissions in a larger study. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03149510


Author(s):  
Meng-Chien Tsai ◽  
Hsiao-Ling Chuang ◽  
Cheng-Yi Huang ◽  
Shu-Hsin Lee ◽  
Wen-Chun Liao ◽  
...  

Objective: Diabetic foot ulcers are an invasive complication of diabetes and are increasing. This study investigates the relationship between health beliefs and foot self-care behaviors, among people with type II diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted, and 98 patients were recruited from outpatient clinics of the endocrine department. The questionnaires of Demographic, Diabetes Foot Ulcer Health Belief Scale (Health Beliefs, DFUHBS), and Diabetes Foot Self-Care Behavior Scale (Self Care, DFSBS) were used to collect data. Results: Among the subjects living alone or who had diabetes less than ten years, the score of DFSBS was significantly lower than among those living with families or who had diabetes for ten years or more. The frequency of performing diabetes foot self-care behavior, among males was lower than among females significantly. Although there was no significant difference in the Health Belief total score, there were differences in the benefit subscale. Those who had junior high school level or less or had diabetes less than ten years, their score was significantly lower than those with senior high school level or more or had diabetes ten years or more. In a multivariable regression model, living with family, diabetes duration, and health beliefs explained 42.9% of the variance of diabetic-foot self-care behaviors. Conclusions: Living alone, shorter duration of diabetes, male gender, and lower health belief scores predict less adequate diabetic foot self-care behavior. Health care providers should assess these factors when designing individual care plans.


Author(s):  
Gopal Teli ◽  
B. G. Ponnappa

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of diabetic patients regarding care of their own feet.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the inpatient department of surgery at Adichunchanagiri hospital and research centre, B. G. Nagara, Karnataka, India from 1st Nov. 2016 to 31st Dec. 2016. The relation between gender and knowledge, attitude and practices of people with diabetes patients were compared by using the Chi-square test at 95% confidence interval at p<0.05.Results: Out of 51 patients, 72.54% were male and 27.46% female and 45.1% of the patients were in the age range 61-80 y. The mean SD of the age was 60.49±14.02. The mean SD of body weight of the patient was 66.17±8.54. The majority of the patients 45.1% were farmers and 41.7% were illiterate. Most of them did not know the practice of correct foot hygiene (39.22%) and what abnormalities observe in their feet (66.67%). We found that 90.2% patients were engaged in foot self-care practice and more than half of them (54.1%) always inspected their footwear before using it. Interestingly, more women were involved in foot care (100%) as compared to men (86.46%) but statistically not significant (p=0.147).Conclusion: We found that patients were not having sufficient knowledge about the correct hygiene of the foot, what abnormalities to observe in their feet and about ideal footwear. Even though females were showing interest towards self-care examination and foot care practice, it is essential that all the diabetic patients must be educated about the knowledge, attitude and foot self-care practice to prevent diabetic foot related complications.


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