Patient perspectives on the use of mobile apps to support heart failure management: A qualitative descriptive study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 5; p. e0285659
• Main Authors: Sivakumar, Bridve, Lemonde, Manon, Stein, Matthew, Mak, Susanna, Al-Hesayen, Abdul, Arcand, JoAnne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 11.05.2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Applications programs; Behavior; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Clinical outcomes; Computer and Information Sciences; Congestive heart failure; Consent; Content analysis; Data analysis; Data collection; Diagnosis; Diet; Disease management; Education; Ejection fraction; Engineering and Technology; Evaluation; Focus Groups; Graduate students; Health care industry; Heart failure; Heart Failure - therapy; Homeopathy; Hospitals; Humans; Information dissemination; Innovations; Intervention; Interviews; Male; Management; Materia medica and therapeutics; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mobile Applications; Mobile computing; Monitoring; Mortality; Nutrition research; Patient compliance; Patients; Qualitative Research; Research ethics; Research methodology; Self-Management; Technology application; Telemedicine; Therapeutics; Canada; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285659

Adherence to diet and medical therapies are key to improving heart failure (HF) outcomes; however, nonadherence is common. While mobile apps may be a promising way to support patients with adherence via education and monitoring, HF patient perspectives regarding the use of apps for HF management in unknown. This data is critical for these tools to be successfully developed, implemented, and adopted to optimize adherence and improve HF outcomes. To determine patients' needs, motivations, and challenges on the use of mobile apps to support HF management. A qualitative descriptive study using focus groups (n = 4,60 minutes) was conducted among HF patients from outpatient HF clinics in Toronto, Canada. The Diffusion of Innovation theory informed a ten-question interview guide. Interview transcripts were independently coded by two researchers and analyzed using content analysis. Nineteen HF patients (65 ± 10 yrs, 12 men) identified a total of four key themes related to the use of mobile apps. The theme 'Factors impacting technology use by patients' identified motivations and challenges to app use, including access to credible information, easy and accessible user-interface. Three themes described patients' needs on the use of mobile apps to support HF management: 1) 'Providing patient support through access to information and self-monitoring', apps could provide education on HF-related content (e.g., diet, medication, symptoms); 2) 'Facilitating connection and communication', through information sharing with healthcare providers and connecting with other patients; 3) 'Patient preferences', app features such as reminders for medication, and visuals to show changes in HF symptoms were favoured. HF patients perceive several benefits and challenges to app use for HF self-management. Capitalizing on the benefits and addressing the challenges during the app development process may maximize adoption of such tools in this patient population.