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Usability and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Preoperative mHealth App for People Undergoing Major Surgery: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
- Source :
- Jmir mhealth and uhealth, 9(1):e23402. Journal of medical Internet Research, JMIR mHealth and uHealth, van der Velde, M, Valkenet, K, Geleijn, E, Kruisselbrink, M, Marsman, M, Janssen, L M, Ruurda, J P, van der Peet, D L, Aarden, J J, Veenhof, C & van der Leeden, M 2021, ' Usability and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Preoperative mHealth App for People Undergoing Major Surgery : Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial ', Jmir mhealth and uhealth, vol. 9, no. 1, e23402, pp. e23402 . https://doi.org/10.2196/23402
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- JMIR Publications Inc., 2021.
-
Abstract
- Background Major surgery is associated with negative postoperative outcomes such as complications and delayed or poor recovery. Multimodal prehabilitation can help to reduce the negative effects of major surgery. Offering prehabilitation by means of mobile health (mHealth) could be an effective new approach. Objective The objectives of this pilot study were to (1) evaluate the usability of the Be Prepared mHealth app prototype for people undergoing major surgery, (2) explore whether the app was capable of bringing about a change in risk behaviors, and (3) estimate a preliminary effect of the app on functional recovery after major surgery. Methods A mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in two Dutch academic hospitals. In total, 86 people undergoing major surgery participated. Participants in the intervention group received access to the Be Prepared app, a smartphone app using behavior change techniques to address risk behavior prior to surgery. Both groups received care as usual. Usability (System Usability Scale), change in risk behaviors 3 days prior to surgery, and functional recovery 30 days after discharge from hospital (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical functioning 8-item short form) were assessed using online questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable linear regression. Semistructured interviews about the usability of the app were conducted with 12 participants in the intervention group. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Results Seventy-nine people—40 in the intervention group and 39 in the control group—were available for further analysis. Participants had a median age of 61 (interquartile range 51.0-68.0) years. The System Usability Scale showed that patients considered the Be Prepared app to have acceptable usability (mean 68.2 [SD 18.4]). Interviews supported the usability of the app. The major point of improvement identified was further personalization of the app. Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed an increase in self-reported physical activity and muscle strengthening activities prior to surgery. Also, 2 of 2 frequent alcohol users in the intervention group versus 1 of 9 in the control group drank less alcohol in the run-up to surgery. No difference was found in change of smoking cessation. Between-group analysis showed no meaningful differences in functional recovery after correction for baseline values (β=–2.4 [95% CI –5.9 to 1.1]). Conclusions The Be Prepared app prototype shows potential in terms of usability and changing risk behavior prior to major surgery. No preliminary effect of the app on functional recovery was found. Points of improvement have been identified with which the app and future research can be optimized. Trial Registration Netherlands Trial Registry NL8623; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8623
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Telemedicine
020205 medical informatics
Prehabilitation
medicine.medical_treatment
Pilot Projects
Health Informatics
02 engineering and technology
smartphone
law.invention
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Randomized controlled trial
law
Muscle Stretching Exercises
Preoperative Care
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
medicine
Humans
Patient Reported Outcome Measures
030212 general & internal medicine
mHealth
Aged
Netherlands
Original Paper
business.industry
risk behavior
System usability scale
Preoperative Exercise
Usability
Behavior change methods
prehabilitation
Middle Aged
Mobile Applications
mhealth
Surgery
usability
Preoperative Period
Smoking cessation
Female
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 22915222
- Volume :
- 9
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- JMIR mHealth and uHealth
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....66929d0ed947a982ecdc9b9680e65b64