scholarly journals Using a Web-Based App to Deliver Rehabilitation Strategies to Persons With Chronic Conditions: Development and Usability Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Richardson ◽  
Lori Letts ◽  
Susanne Sinclair ◽  
David Chan ◽  
Jordan Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
End Users ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Usability Tests ◽  
Rehabilitation Strategies

BACKGROUND The global rise in the incidence of chronic conditions and aging is associated with increased disability. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can mitigate the resulting burden on the health care system with their expertise in optimizing function. Rehabilitation self-management strategies can assist people with chronic conditions to accept, adjust, and manage different aspects of their daily functioning. Interventions delivered using technology have the potential to increase the accessibility, availability, and affordability of rehabilitation self-management support and services. OBJECTIVE This study aims to describe the development and usability evaluation of iamable, a web-based app created to provide rehabilitation self-management support for people with chronic conditions. METHODS The development and evaluation of iamable were undertaken in several phases. We used user-centered design principles and an iterative process that included consultations with rehabilitation experts; developed a prototype; and conducted usability tests, heuristic evaluations, and a focus group analysis. RESULTS The iamable app was developed to provide rehabilitation self-management strategies in the areas of exercise, fall prevention, fatigue management, pain management, physical activity, and stress management. We engaged adults aged ≥45 years with at least one chronic condition (N=11) in usability testing. They identified navigation and the understanding of instructions as the primary issues for end users. During the heuristic evaluation, clinicians (N=6) recommended that some areas of app content should be more succinct and that help should be more readily available. The focus group provided input to help guide clinical simulation testing, including strategies for selecting patients and overcoming barriers to implementation. CONCLUSIONS We engaged end users and clinicians in the development and evaluation of the iamable app in an effort to create a web-based tool that was useful to therapists and their patients. By addressing usability issues, we were able to ensure that patients had access to rehabilitation strategies that could be used to help them better manage their health. Our app also provides therapists with a platform that they can trust to empower their patients to be more active in the management of chronic conditions. This paper provides a resource that can be used by others to develop and evaluate web-based health apps.

scholarly journals Using a Web-Based App to Deliver Rehabilitation Strategies to Persons With Chronic Conditions: Development and Usability Study

10.2196/19519 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e19519
Author(s):  
Julie Richardson ◽  
Lori Letts ◽  
Susanne Sinclair ◽  
David Chan ◽  
Jordan Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
End Users ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Usability Tests ◽  
Rehabilitation Strategies

Background The global rise in the incidence of chronic conditions and aging is associated with increased disability. Physiotherapists and occupational therapists can mitigate the resulting burden on the health care system with their expertise in optimizing function. Rehabilitation self-management strategies can assist people with chronic conditions to accept, adjust, and manage different aspects of their daily functioning. Interventions delivered using technology have the potential to increase the accessibility, availability, and affordability of rehabilitation self-management support and services. Objective This study aims to describe the development and usability evaluation of iamable, a web-based app created to provide rehabilitation self-management support for people with chronic conditions. Methods The development and evaluation of iamable were undertaken in several phases. We used user-centered design principles and an iterative process that included consultations with rehabilitation experts; developed a prototype; and conducted usability tests, heuristic evaluations, and a focus group analysis. Results The iamable app was developed to provide rehabilitation self-management strategies in the areas of exercise, fall prevention, fatigue management, pain management, physical activity, and stress management. We engaged adults aged ≥45 years with at least one chronic condition (N=11) in usability testing. They identified navigation and the understanding of instructions as the primary issues for end users. During the heuristic evaluation, clinicians (N=6) recommended that some areas of app content should be more succinct and that help should be more readily available. The focus group provided input to help guide clinical simulation testing, including strategies for selecting patients and overcoming barriers to implementation. Conclusions We engaged end users and clinicians in the development and evaluation of the iamable app in an effort to create a web-based tool that was useful to therapists and their patients. By addressing usability issues, we were able to ensure that patients had access to rehabilitation strategies that could be used to help them better manage their health. Our app also provides therapists with a platform that they can trust to empower their patients to be more active in the management of chronic conditions. This paper provides a resource that can be used by others to develop and evaluate web-based health apps.

A self‐management support program for older Australians with multiple chronic conditions: a randomised controlled trial

2018 ◽  
Vol 208 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L Reed ◽  
Leigh Roeger ◽  
Sara Howard ◽  
Jodie M Oliver‐Baxter ◽  
Malcolm W Battersby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Adapting an evidence-based e-learning CBT program into a mobile app for people experiencing gambling-related problems: A Formative Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayl Humphrey ◽  
Joanna Chu ◽  
Rebecca Ruwhui-Collins ◽  
Stephanie Erick ◽  
Nicki Dowling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
End Users ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
End User ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Mhealth Intervention ◽  
Gambling Harms

BACKGROUND Many people experiencing harms and problems from gambling do not seek treatment from gambling treatment services due to numerous personal and resource barriers. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are widely used across a diverse range of health care areas and by various population groups, but there are few in the gambling harm field, despite their potential as an additional modality for the delivery of treatment. OBJECTIVE This study aims to understand the needs, preferences and priorities of people experiencing gambling harms or problems who are potential end-users of a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) mHealth intervention (based on the GAMBLINGLESS web-based intervention) to inform design features and functions. METHODS Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, we used the creators and domain experts to review the GAMBLINGLESS web-based online program and convert it into a prototype for a mobile phone-based intervention. Each module was reviewed against the original evidence-base to ensure that the changes maintained the fidelity and conceptual integrity intended and to ensure that there were no gaps. Early wireframes, design ideas (look, feel and function) and content examples were to be developed using multi-modalities, to help initiate discussions and ideas with end-users. Using an iterative co-creation process with a Young Adult, a Māori and a Pasifika Peoples group, all with experiences of problem or harmful gambling, we undertook six focus groups; two cycles per group. During each focus group, participants identified preferences, features, and functions for inclusion in a final design of the mHealth intervention and its content. RESULTS Over three months, the GAMBLINGLESS web-based intervention was reviewed and remapped from four modules to six. This revised program is based on the principles underpinning the Transtheoretical Model, in which it is recognised that some end-users will be more ready to change than others, change is a process than unfolds over time, a non-linear progression is common, and that different intervention options may be required by end-users across the stages of change. Two cycles of focus groups were then conducted, with a total of 30 unique participants (13 Māori, 9 Pasifika and 8 Young Adults) at the first sessions and 18 participants (7 Māori, 6 Pasifika and 5 Young Adults) at the second sessions. Using prototype examples that demonstrably reflected the focus group discussions and ideas, the features, functions and designs for the Manaaki app were finalised. Aspects such as personalisation, cultural relevance, and being positively framed were key attributes identified. Congruence of the final app attributes with the conceptual frameworks of the original program was also confirmed. CONCLUSIONS Those who experience gambling harms may not seek help from current treatment providers and as such, finding new modalities to provided treatment and support are needed. mHealth has the potential to deliver interventions direct to the end-user. Weaving underpinning theory and existing evidence of effective treatment with end-user input into the design and development of the mHealth intervention does not guarantee success. However, it does provide a foundation for framing the mechanism, context and content of the intervention and arguably provides a greater chance of demonstrating effectiveness.

Supporting Self-Management and Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorder with the Beta PolarUs App: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin E Michalak ◽  
Steven J Barnes ◽  
Emma Morton ◽  
Heather O'Brien ◽  
Greg Murray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Beta Version

BACKGROUND Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognised as a key outcome of self-management interventions for bipolar disorder (BD). Mobile phone applications (apps) can increase access to evidence-based self-management strategies and provide real-time support. However, while individuals with lived experience desire support with monitoring and improving broader health domains, existing BD apps largely target mood symptoms only. Further, evidence from the broader mHealth literature has shown that the desires and goals of end-users are not adequately taken into account during app development, and as a result engagement with mental health apps is suboptimal. To capitalise on the potential of apps to optimise wellness in BD, there is a need for interventions developed in consultation with real-world users that are designed to support QoL self-monitoring and self-management. Objective: This mixed methods pilot study is designed to evaluate the beta version of the newly developed PolarUs app, which aims to support QoL self-monitoring and self-management in people with BD. Developed using a community-based participatory research framework, the PolarUs app builds on the web-based adaptation of a BD-specific QoL self-assessment measure, and integrates material from a web-based portal providing information on evidence-informed self-management strategies in BD. OBJECTIVE The primary objectives of this project are to: (1) evaluate PolarUs app feasibility (via behavioral usage metrics); (2) evaluate PolarUs impact (via the Brief Quality of Life in Bipolar Disorders, QoL.BD scale, our primary outcomes measure); and (3) explore engagement with the PolarUs app (via both quantitative and qualitative methods). METHODS Study participants will be North American residents (N=150) aged 18-65 years with a DSM-5 diagnosis of BD-I, BD-II or BD not otherwise specified (NOS) as assessed by a structured diagnostic interview. An embedded mixed-methods research design will be adopted; qualitative interviews with a purposefully selected sub-sample (~n=30) of participants will be conducted to explore in more depth feasibility, impact and engagement with the PolarUs app over the 12-week study period. RESULTS At the time of publication of this protocol, the development of the beta version of the PolarUs app is complete. Participant enrollment is expected to begin in February 2022. Data collection is expected to be completed by December 2022. CONCLUSIONS Beyond contributing knowledge on the feasibility and impacts of a novel app to support QoL and self-management in BD, this study is also expected to provide new knowledge on engagement with mHealth apps. Furthermore, it is expected to function as a case study of successful co-design between individuals living with BD, clinicians who specialise in the treatment of BD, and BD researchers, providing a template for future use of community-based participatory research frameworks in mHealth intervention development. Results will be used to further refine the PolarUs app and inform the design of a larger clinical trial.

Self-Management Support and eHealth When Managing Changes in Behavior and Mood of a Relative With Dementia: An Asynchronous Online Focus Group Study of Family Caregivers' Needs

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 151-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith G. Huis in het Veld ◽  
Renate Verkaik ◽  
Berno van Meijel ◽  
Paul-Jeroen Verkade ◽  
Wendy Werkman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Focus Group Study

Intercountry Consensus Building: Lessons From Developing a Chronic-Conditions Self-Management Support Framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-620
Author(s):  
Susan L. Mills ◽  
Shabnam Ziabakhsh ◽  
Teresa J. Brady ◽  
Janaki Jayanthan ◽  
Peter M. Sargious
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Consensus Building ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Promotion Strategy

Self-management support initiatives that aim to improve the self-care of chronic conditions are considered a key part of a health promotion strategy for addressing the impacts of long-term illness. Given the growth of these activities and still evolving evidence base, thoughtful intercountry collaborations with subject matter experts can be an effective way to expedite building self-management support capacity, promoting the advancement of evidence, and developing effective policies and programs. The challenge is to find an effective consensus building process that promotes linkages between researchers and health promotion decisions makers across vast geographical boundaries and limited resources. This paper describes the international, multistage, face-to-face, and online process that was used for developing an international framework for self-management support by researchers, educators, health care providers, policy makers, program managers/directors, program planners, consultants, patient group representatives, and consumers in 16 countries. We reflect on key lessons from this international initiative and discuss how this type of process may be useful for other health promotion groups trying to exchange knowledge and build consensus on how to move a field of research, policy, and/or practice forward, and advance the evidence-base of practice and the relevance of research.

Diabetes self-management: multiple technologies of self

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy H Broom
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Diabetes Type 2 ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Self Management ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Individual

Self-management is now positioned as essential to the optimal management of many chronic diseases. Health promoters and service providers often acknowledge that some forms of self-management are difficult and demanding, and that health education must be appropriately tailored in order to enhance ?compliance?. These discourses may recognise that part of a person?s response to diagnosis arises from the individual?s personality and their social circumstances. However, less attention is paid to the social and personal effects of the variety of strategies people deploy in order to manage an ongoing condition. Self-management affects more than symptoms or disease status; it also shapes the subjectivity of the person, so different management strategies may mould different selves. The self-management of diabetes entails numerous daily practices, and produces several distinct ways of constructing an embodied diabetic self. In this article, I describe how a sample of adults living with diabetes type 2 manage their diabetes from day to day, and how those activities both arise from, and contribute to, distinctive subject positions. Appreciating the daily and dynamic character of self-management may also help service providers to facilitate an improved quality of life for people with chronic conditions.

scholarly journals Self-management of patients with advanced cancer: A systematic review of experiences and attitudes

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie I van Dongen ◽  
Kim de Nooijer ◽  
Jane M Cramm ◽  
Anneke L Francke ◽  
Wendy H Oldenmenger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Quality Of Reporting

Background: Patients with advanced cancer are increasingly expected to self-manage. Thus far, this topic has received little systematic attention. Aim: To summarise studies describing self-management strategies of patients with advanced cancer and associated experiences and personal characteristics. Also, to summarise attitudes of relatives and healthcare professionals towards patient self-management. Design: A systematic review including non-experimental quantitative and qualitative studies. Data were analysed using critical interpretive synthesis. Included studies were appraised on methodological quality and quality of reporting. Data sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Google Scholar (until 11 June 2019). Results: Of 1742 identified articles, 31 moderate-quality articles describing 8 quantitative and 23 qualitative studies were included. Patients with advanced cancer used self-management strategies in seven domains: medicine and pharmacology, lifestyle, mental health, social support, knowledge and information, navigation and coordination and medical decision-making (29 articles). Strategies were highly individual, sometimes ambivalent and dependent on social interactions. Older patients and patients with more depressive symptoms and lower levels of physical functioning, education and self-efficacy might have more difficulties with certain self-management strategies (six articles). Healthcare professionals perceived self-management as desirable and achievable if based on sufficient skills and knowledge and solid patient–professional partnerships (three articles). Conclusion: Self-management of patients with advanced cancer is highly personal and multifaceted. Strategies may be substitutional, additional or even conflicting compared to care provided by healthcare professionals. Self-management support can benefit from an individualised approach embedded in solid partnerships with relatives and healthcare professionals.

e-Learning competency for practice nurses: an evaluation report

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Heartfield ◽  
Andrea Morello ◽  
Melanie Harris ◽  
Sharon Lawn ◽  
Vincenza Pols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Chronic Disease Management ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Policy Outcomes ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Web Based Learning ◽  
E Learning

Practice nurses in Australia are now funded to facilitate chronic condition management, including self-management support. Chronic disease management requires an established rapport, support and proactivity between general practitioners, patients and the practice nurses. To achieve this, training in shared decision making is needed. e-Learning supports delivery and achievement of such policy outcomes, service improvements and skill development. However, e-learning effectiveness for health care professionals’ is determined by several organisational, economic, pedagogical and individual factors, with positive e-learning experience linked closely to various supports. This paper reinforces previous studies showing nurses’ expanding role across general practice teams and reports on some of the challenges of e-learning. Merely providing practice nurses with necessary information via web-based learning systems does not ensure successful learning or progress toward improving health outcomes for patients.

scholarly journals Web-based self-management support prototype My Kidneys My Health for adults with chronic kidney disease: Co-design and usability testing (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maoliosa Donald ◽  
Heather Beanlands ◽  
Sharon Straus ◽  
Michelle Smekal ◽  
Sarah Gil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Usability Testing ◽  
Video Production ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Patient Reported

BACKGROUND Supporting patients to self-manage their chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been identified as a research priority by patients with CKD and those that care for them. Self-management has been shown to slow CKD progression and improve the quality of life for individuals living with the disease. Previous work has identified a need for a person-centered, theory-informed web-based tool for CKD self-management that can be individualized to a patient’s unique situation, priorities, and preferences. We addressed this gap using an Integrated Knowledge Translation method and patient engagement principles. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to implement the systematic co-design and usability testing of a web-based self-management prototype for adults with CKD (non-dialysis, non-transplant) and their caregivers to enhance self-management support. METHODS A multi-step, iterative system development cycle was used to co-design and test My Kidneys My Health prototype. The 3-step process included: (1) creating website features and content using two sequential focus groups with patients with CKD and caregivers; (2) heuristic testing using Nielsen’s 10 heuristic principles; (3) usability testing through in-person 60-minute interviews with patients with CKD and a caregiver. Patients with CKD, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, software developers, graphic designers, and policy makers were involved in all steps of this study. RESULTS In step 1, 18 participants (14 patients and 4 caregivers) attended one of the two sequential focus groups. The participants provided specific suggestions for simplifying navigation, as well as suggestions to incorporate video, text, audio, interactive components, and visuals to convey information. Five reviewers completed the heuristic analysis (step 2), identifying items mainly related to navigation and functionality. Five participants completed usability testing (step 3) and provided feedback on video production, navigation, features and functionality, and branding. Participants reported visiting the website repeatedly for the following features: personalized food tool, my health care provider question list, symptom guidance based on CKD severity, and medication advice. Usability was high, with a mean System Usability Score of 90 out of 100. CONCLUSIONS My Kidneys My Health prototype is a systematically developed, multi-faceted CKD self-management web-based support tool guided by theory and preferences of patients with CKD and their caregivers. The website is user-friendly and provides features that improve the user experience by tailoring the content and resources to their needs. A feasibility study will provide insight into the acceptability of and engagement with the prototype, and identify preliminary patient reported outcomes (e.g., self-efficacy), as well as potential factors related to implementation. This work is relevant given the shift to virtual care during a pandemic era, providing patients with support when in-person care is restricted. CLINICALTRIAL

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