Designing a Mobile Phone Application for Self-Management of Knee and Lumbar Osteoarthritis: A Usability and Feasibility Study

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to outline the major phases involved in developing a mobile app for self-management of knee and lumbar osteoarthritis.
 Method: This developmental research had three phases, including, content selection, application design and development, and evaluation. First, a questionnaire was created based on the literature review, and its content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) were measured by 15 specialists. To approve the contents of the app, the 15 rheumatologists used the Delphi technique. The application was designed using Android programming tools after the content was selected. SQLite was also used to develop a database. Finally, 12 patients evaluated the application's usability through the questionnaire for user interaction satisfaction (QUIS).
 Results: Based on the rheumatologists' preferences for information content and format, 45 key data elements were specified in 8 sections. The application was then built, which included six primary modules: medical records, educational information, disease management, record activities, reminders, and reporting. Finally, the application's usability was praised (7.56 out of 9). The application was updated with the necessary improvements based on user feedback following the evaluation.
 Conclusions: app evaluating is currently underway to verify the application's usability and feasibility, and its effect on osteoarthritis outcomes linked to pain control and physical activity will be investigated in future studies.