Abstract
BackgroundModerate to severe postoperative pain in children is common. Increased pediatric day surgeries have shifted postoperative pain management predominantly to the home setting. Mobile health technology has the potential to overcome barriers to pain care by improving access to self-management resources. However, pain apps generally lack scientific evidence and are highly underutilized due to lack of involvement of end users in their development. Thus, an evidence-based pain self-management smartphone app that incorporates the needs and perspective of children and adolescents (end users) has potential to improve postoperative pain management.ObjectiveThis paper aimed to describe how the principles of user-centered design were applied to the development of iCanCope PostOp, a smartphone-based pain self-management app for children and adolescents after surgery. Specifically, it presents 2 completed phases of the user-centered design process (concept generation and ideation) for the iCanCope PostOp app.MethodsPhase 1 was a multisite needs assessment from the perspective of 19 children and adolescents who had undergone various day surgeries, 19 parents, and 32 multidisciplinary health care providers. Children, adolescents, and parents completed individual semistructured interviews, and health care providers participated in focus groups. Data were summarized using qualitative content analysis. Phase 2 developed a pain care algorithm for the app using Delphi surveys and a 2-day in-person design workshop with 11 multidisciplinary pediatric postoperative pain experts and 2 people with lived experience with postoperative pain.ResultsPhase 1 identified self-management challenges to postoperative pain management and recovery; limited available resources and reliance on medications as a predominant postoperative pain management strategy; and shared responsibility of postoperative pain care by children and adolescents, parents, and health care providers. Key app functions of tracking pain, pain self-management strategies, and goal setting were identified as priorities. Phase 2 led to the successful and efficient generation of a complete preliminary pain care algorithm for the iCanCope PostOp app, including clinically relevant inputs for feasible assessment and reassessment of pain and function (rest or sleep, movement or play, and mood or worry), as well as a catalog of pain management advice to be pushed to end users (psychological, physical, pharmacological, and education).ConclusionsThe concept ideation and generation phases of the user-centered design approach were successfully completed for the iCanCope PostOp app. Next steps will include design finalization, app development (iOS or Android), evaluation through a randomized controlled trial, and subsequent implementation of the iCanCope PostOp app in clinical care.
Highlights
BackgroundMore than 3 million children and adolescents in Canada and the United States undergo surgery each year [1,2,3]
The concept ideation and generation phases of the user-centered design approach were successfully completed for the iCanCope PostOp app
This paper presents an overview of the user-centered design process in developing “iCanCope with Postoperative Pain”, a smartphone-based app for children and adolescents’ self-management of acute postoperative pain
Summary
BackgroundMore than 3 million children and adolescents in Canada and the United States undergo surgery each year [1,2,3]. Despite the availability of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for postoperative pain [4], children and adolescents continue to experience moderate to severe pain once home in the days following outpatient surgery [5]. Approximately 20% of children undergoing surgery develop chronic pain [11], an expensive and debilitating health problem [12]. Due to health system changes, an increasing number of pediatric surgical procedures are performed as day surgeries [1], resulting in greater postoperative pain management within the home setting. Increased pediatric day surgeries have shifted postoperative pain management predominantly to the home setting. An evidence-based pain self-management smartphone app that incorporates the needs and perspective of children and adolescents (end users) has potential to improve postoperative pain management
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
