A Comprehensive Digital Self-care Support System for Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions: Development, Feasibility, and Usability Testing of myHESTIA

• Published in: Journal of applied gerontology Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 170 - 184
• Main Authors: Nambisan, Priya, Stange, Kurt C., Lyytinen, Kalle, Kahana, Eva, Duthie, Edmund, Potnek, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.02.2023; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Aged; Feasibility Studies; Humans; Multiple Chronic Conditions; Needs assessment; Older people; Self Care; Support networks; User-Centered Design; User-Computer Interface; myHESTIA; Multiple Chronic Conditions; CDSSS; information technology; self-care; Digital self-care support
• ISSN: 0733-4648; 1552-4523
• DOI: 10.1177/07334648221129859

The objective of this mixed methods study is to evaluate the need for a comprehensive digital self-care support system (CDSSS) for older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and to examine whether such a system can be developed to enable daily capture of self-care data. The 3-phase study involved Phase-1: user needs assessment and prototype development; Phase-2: preliminary user evaluation of the prototype; and Phase-3: 4-week small group usability and feasibility testing of the tracking component of the prototype. Results of Phase-1 show the need for a CDSSS. Phase-2 results demonstrate interest among older adults in using such a CDSSS and Phase-3 findings show that older adults found the tracking component of the system easy to use for capturing daily inputs. Overall, the findings show that it is feasible to design a CDSSS for older adults with MCC in a way that is usable and functional for them.