Patient testing of a mobile health app and review of educational materials designed for gout patient self-management (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Gout is a form of chronic arthritis caused by elevated serum uric acid (SUA) and culminates in painful gout attacks. Effective uric acid-lowering therapies exist, however adherence is low. This is partly due to the lack of support for patients to self-manage their disease. Mobile health applications (apps) have been used in self-management of chronic conditions. However, not all are developed with patients, limiting their effectiveness. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to design an effective gout self-management app by collecting feedback from gout patients. METHODS Two mixed-methods studies were conducted. In Study 1, researchers developed a short educational video and written materials about gout management, designed to be embedded into an app. Six interviews and one focus group were held with gout patients to gather feedback on these materials. Usability testing in Study 2 involved additional gout patients using a pilot version of Healthy.me Gout, a gout self-management app, for two weeks. Following the trial, patients participated in an interview about their experiences using the app. RESULTS Patients viewed the gout educational material positively, appreciating the combined use of video, text and images. Patients were receptive to using a mobile app to self-manage their gout. Feedback about Healthy.me Gout was generally positive, with patients reporting that the tracking and diary features were most useful. Patients also provided suggestions for improving the app and educational materials. CONCLUSIONS These studies involved patients in the development of a gout self-management app. Patients provided insight to improve the app’s presentation and usability, and general lessons on useful features for chronic disease apps. Gout patients enjoyed tracking their SUA concentrations and gout attack triggers. These capabilities can be translated to self-management apps for chronic diseases that require monitoring of pathological values, medication adherence and/or symptoms. Future health app design should integrate patient input and be developed iteratively to address concerns identified by patients.