App Design Research Articles

Meditation Mobile App Developed for Patients With and Survivors of Cancer: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

To address the unmet need for a commercial cancer-specific meditation app, we leveraged a long-standing partnership with a consumer-based app (ie, Calm) to develop the first commercial meditation app prototype adapted specifically for the needs of patients with cancer. Input was obtained at both the individual user and clinic levels (ie, patients with and survivors of cancer and health care providers). This study aimed to determine the feasibility of a cancer-specific meditation app prototype. Patients with and survivors of cancer who were recruited and enrolled in the feasibility randomized controlled trial were asked to use the prototype app daily (≥70 minutes per week) for 4 weeks. Participants completed web-based weekly questionnaires and a final poststudy questionnaire and were asked to participate in an optional web-based poststudy interview. The questionnaires and interviews covered the following feasibility categories: acceptability, demand, practicality, and adaptation. A total of 36 patients with and survivors of cancer completed the baseline questionnaire, 18 completed the final questionnaire, and 6 completed the optional interviews. Weekly and poststudy questionnaires indicated high overall enjoyment, ease of use, and satisfaction with the app content, aesthetics, and graphics. The objective use data indicated that the average total app use rate was 73.39 (SD 7.12) minutes per week. Interviews (N=6) revealed positive and mixed responses to the app prototype and informative differences related to preferences for narrators, emotional content, and meditation teaching but an overall appreciation for the variety of options. The most likely candidates for moving from cancer-specific meditation apps to dissemination are through partnering with the industry, in which name recognition and market distribution are already established (even showing a base of users from the targeted population with cancer). This study established the feasibility of a cancer-specific mobile meditation app prototype for patients with and survivors of cancer, using a commercially available app. The quantitative and qualitative data demonstrated the acceptability, demand, practicality, and adaptation of the prototype. Improvements suggested by the participants will be considered in the final app design before testing the efficacy of the app in a future study. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05459168; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT05459168.

Development of an Evidence-Based Progressive Web App to Promote Exercise Therapy and Telemonitoring for Individuals with Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome: A Usability Study

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps play an emerging role in managing chronic conditions. This study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate the usability of an exercise therapy mHealth app in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Objectives: This paper presents the design, development, and evaluation procedures of the conceptual mHelath app, called Vitoapp, using the progressive web application (PWA) approach. Methods: A mixed-method approach using both qualitative interviews (n = 8 adults with PFPS) and quantitative usability evaluations (n = 30, including 15 adults with PFPS and 15 physical therapists as experts) was adopted. Results: The results showed high levels of system usability (75.1 out of 100) and the mHealth App usability (127.2/147). Conclusions: This study can contribute to the design and development of the physical therapy mHealth app to provide evidence-based therapeutic exercise and remotely monitor adults with chronic pain conditions, including PFPS.

Data Visualization Preferences in Remote Measurement Technology for Individuals Living With Depression, Epilepsy, and Multiple Sclerosis: Qualitative Study.

Remote measurement technology (RMT) involves the use of wearable devices and smartphone apps to measure health outcomes in everyday life. RMT with feedback in the form of data visual representations can facilitate self-management of chronic health conditions, promote health care engagement, and present opportunities for intervention. Studies to date focus broadly on multiple dimensions of service users' design preferences and RMT user experiences (eg, health variables of perceived importance and perceived quality of medical advice provided) as opposed to data visualization preferences. This study aims to explore data visualization preferences and priorities in RMT, with individuals living with depression, those with epilepsy, and those with multiple sclerosis (MS). A triangulated qualitative study comparing and thematically synthesizing focus group discussions with user reviews of existing self-management apps and a systematic review of RMT data visualization preferences. A total of 45 people participated in 6 focus groups across the 3 health conditions (depression, n=17; epilepsy, n=11; and MS, n=17). Thematic analysis validated a major theme around design preferences and recommendations and identified a further four minor themes: (1) data reporting, (2) impact of visualization, (3) moderators of visualization preferences, and (4) system-related factors and features. When used effectively, data visualizations are valuable, engaging components of RMT. Easy to use and intuitive data visualization design was lauded by individuals with neurological and psychiatric conditions. Apps design needs to consider the unique requirements of service users. Overall, this study offers RMT developers a comprehensive outline of the data visualization preferences of individuals living with depression, epilepsy, and MS.

The Role of Individual Factors in Users’ Intentions to Use Medical Tourism Mobile Apps

The successful operation of medical tourism mobile applications primarily depends on the extent to which users are fully motivated to adopt their use. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing medical tourism mobile application usage intentions. This study applied the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) to build a comprehensive model that explains users’ intentions to use medical tourism mobile apps. Our research findings confirm the validity of the UTAUT2 in explaining users’ intentions to use medical tourism mobile apps in the context of medical tourism mobile services. Additionally, the results focus on the enhancement in the role of the other rather that contextual attributes of the IT/IS environment (i.e., personal involvement and personal innovativeness). This study can confirm the importance of the UTAUT2 constructs in the setting of medical tourism mobile app usage. By conducting surveys, medical tourism mobile app designers can know that personal involvement and personal innovativeness lead to influences on the effectiveness of corporate marketing efforts relating to using mobile medical apps.

Gamified Mobile Sensing Storytelling Application for Enhancing Remote Cultural Experience and Engagement

Previous studies have highlighted a lack of practical strategies in mobile learning that effectively enhance learners’ agency with mobile technology. The paper aims to engage and interest learners in cultural issues by exploring the capacity of mobile technology. In this paper, we report the design and development of a prototype story game app, The Story of Praya Lane that combines use of mobile sensing, machine learning and augmented reality (AR) to engage users in physical mobile activities as part of a gamified, non-linear storytelling application. We took a multidisciplinary approach to involve cultural heritage stakeholders to preserve and share the cultural stories of the Kristang community in Praya Lane, Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The results of user study show promise in promoting interest and engagement in cultural learning and reflection. From our findings, we recommend design guidelines for future interactive story games to support cultural learning and engagement.

Application of Two-Eyed Seeing in Adolescent Mental Health to Bridge Design Thinking and Indigenous Collective Storytelling.

eMental health apps are increasingly being considered for use in health care with growing recognition of the importance of considering end-user preferences in their design and implementation. The key to the success of using apps with Indigenous youth is tailoring the design and content to include Indigenous perspectives. In this study we used a Two-Eyed Seeing perspective to integrate Indigenous and human computer interaction methodologies to identify end-user preferences for a tablet-based mental health screening app used in a primary care clinic serving Indigenous youth. The research objectives used a Two-Eyed Seeing approach to (i) collectively create stories about Indigenous youth lived experiences accessing integrated primary care for their mental health concerns; and (ii) engage Indigenous youth in Design Circles to determine their usability preferences for digital mental health screening tools. Eight adolescents (n = 4 young women; n = 3 young men; and n = 1 Two Spirit) between 20 to 24 years old who self-identified as Indigenous participated. Indigenous youth joined Design Circles to co-create a story about accessing mental health care and their needs and preferences for an eMental Health app. Findings highlighted the importance of collective Indigenous storytelling about accessing integrated primary care for mental health needs. Participants created three persona stories about their challenges accessing mental health care and the role of social support. Participants sorted their usability design preferences for an eMental Health app to be inclusive of Indigenous knowledges. A Two-Eyed Seeing perspective was useful to incorporate a design thinking approach as collective storytelling among Indigenous youth. This research may inform and shape the design of eMental health apps used in health clinics to better engage Indigenous youth.

A psycho-educational intervention programme for parents with SGA foetuses supported by an adaptive mHealth system: design, proof of concept and usability assessment

BackgroundTechnology-based approaches during pregnancy can facilitate the self-reporting of emotional health issues and improve well-being. There is evidence to suggest that stress during pregnancy can affect the foetus and result in restricted growth and preterm birth. Although a number of mobile health (mHealth) approaches are designed to monitor pregnancy and provide information about a specific aspect, no proposal specifically addresses the interventions in parents at risk of having small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or premature babies. Very few studies, however, follow any design and usability guidelines which aim to ensure end-user satisfaction when using these systems.ResultsWe have developed an interactive, adaptable mHealth system to support a psycho-educational intervention programme for parents with SGA foetuses. The relevant results include a metamodel to support the task of modelling current or new intervention programmes, an mHealth system model with runtime adaptation to changes in the programme, the design of a usable app (called VivEmbarazo) and an architectural design and prototype implementation. The developed mHealth system has also enabled us to conduct a proof of concept based on the use of the mHealth systems and this includes data analysis and assesses usability and acceptance.ConclusionsThe proof of concept confirms that parents are satisfied and that they are enthusiastic about the mHealth-supported intervention programme. It helps to technically validate the results obtained in the other stages relating to the development of the solution. The data analysis resulting from the proof of concept confirms that the stress experienced by parents who followed the mHealth-supported intervention programme was significantly lower than among those who did not follow it. This implies an improvement in the emotional health not only of the parents but also of their child. In fact, the babies of couples who followed the mHealth-supported programme weigh more than the babies of couples under traditional care. In terms of user acceptance and usability, the analysis confirms that mothers place greater value on the app design, usefulness and ease of use and are generally more satisfied than their partners. Although these results are promising in comparison with more traditional and other more recent technology-based approaches.

Quality of Mobile Apps for Child Development Support: Search in App Stores and Content Analysis.

Following increases in smartphone access, more parents seek parenting advice through internet sources, including blogs, web-based forums, or mobile apps. However, identifying quality apps (ones that respond to the diverse experiences of families) for guidance on child development can be challenging. This review of mobile health apps aimed to document the landscape, design, and content of apps in the United States available to parents as they promote their child's developmental health. To understand the availability and quality of apps for early childhood health promotion, we completed a content analysis of apps in 2 major app stores (Google Play and Apple App stores). We found that most apps do not provide tailored experiences to parents, including cultural considerations, and instead promote generic guidance that may be useful to parents in some contexts. We discuss the need for an evaluative framework to assess apps aimed to support parents on child development topics. Future work is needed on how to support designers in this area, specifically related to avoiding potential burdens on users and providing culturally informed and equity-driven experiences.

Abstract 15470: Mathematical Modeling of the Determinants and Consequences of Mitral Regurgitation: Jacobian Sensitivity Analysis of a Lumped Parameter Model of the Cardiovascular System

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) results in complex changes to hemodynamics, which lumped parameter (LP) models of the cardiovascular (CV) system can model. A previously validated LP model using time varying elastance of the atria and ventricles models pressure, volume, and flow in the four chambers and valves of the heart and arterial and venous compartments. Here we model moderate MR and perform a Jacobian matrix sensitivity analysis to explore impact of CV parameters on MR variables. Methods: Using MATLAB app designer, we made an app to give input parameter and output variable specification for the LP model, displaying pressure, volume, and flow curves and specified output variables at equilibrium. Sensitivity analysis was done with a Jacobian matrix, showing the proportional change (Δ) in output variables ( y i ) to change in each input parameter ( x j ), [(Δy i /y i )/(Δx j /x j )]. We assessed the change in these output variables: LA peak pressure (LAP), Forward Stroke Volume (FSV), and MR Volume (MRVol); in response to changes in these input parameters: LV End Systolic Elastance (LVESE), MR Orifice Area (MROA), and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) in the setting of moderate MR (MROA=0.3 cm 2 ). Results: Pressure curves for the left atrium and ventricle and aorta with and without moderate MR are shown, with the Jacobian sensitivity matrix in Figure 1. To use the Jacobian matrix, multiply a small proportional change in the input parameter (rows) with the value under the output variable (columns). For example, a 10% increase in MROA will cause a 3.7% increase in LAP, 0.8% fall in FSV, and 8.3% increase in MRVol. Conclusion: This analysis shows how small changes in many parameters impact multiple output variables. MRVol is most sensitive to changes in MROA, while the impact of LVESE (contractility) and PVR (afterload) are appropriately discordant. This model warrants further study to predict instantaneous hemodynamic changes in MR and a host of other entities.

"Money Doesn't Buy You Happiness": Negative Consequences of Using the Freemium Model for Mental Health Apps

As global rates of anxiety and depression increase, we observe millions of downloads of mobile apps addressing mental health that adopt 'freemium' charging models offering complex combinations of free and paid features. We explore potentially negative outcomes of deploying such freemium designs to vulnerable MH populations. We assess outcomes for 41 frequently downloaded mental health apps, by combining thematic analysis of 41K user reviews with audits to validate app descriptions and reviews. We propose a new analytic framework identifying three types of negative outcomes for freemium deployments: first vulnerable users currently experiencing crises may feel pressure to download unhelpful or costly apps. Second unintuitive descriptions of complex apps can lead to inappropriate treatments and expensive subscriptions. Third, limited duration offers may result in incomplete treatments or unexpected charges. We discuss ethical considerations and broader HCI consequences. We describe implications for mental health app design, including the need for greater transparency around free versus paid features, and propose new approaches to provide vulnerable users with validated information about these commonly downloaded apps.

FRIDA, a Framework for Software Design, Applied in the Treatment of Children with Autistic Disorder

The “FRIDA” framework is a guide for the agile development of accessible software for users with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as a tool for strengthening emotional and social skills in the treatment of autism. It is based on the use of accessible software for the development of emotional and social skills, and designed with a focus on the user with intellectual disabilities. A mixed quasi-experimental study is carried out with three focus groups: children with ASD, expert therapists in ASD treatments and software designers adapting the Design Thinking model for the co-creation of the functional characteristics of the software and its use in therapies. The findings and results show that using FRIDA facilitates the agile design of accessible apps by reducing their development time by 94% and increasing their usability level by more than 90%. This facilitates the treatment of people with ASD, especially in the development of emotional self-recognition skills and social adaptation. The experience applied collaborative design thinking models and agile software design methodologies, articulating knowledge between software developers, therapists, and families of users with ASD. Users were characterized separately, and the functionalities required for the software that would be developed and linked in the treatment of autism were identified.

Exploring Localized Usability Implementation in mHealth App Design for Healthcare Practitioners in the Global South Context: A Case Study

Purpose: This study was designed to better understand how mobile health applications (mHealth apps) designed in the Global North (GN) are perceived as usable, empowering, and persuasive by users, particularly healthcare practitioners, in the context of a Global South (GS) country.<br/> Method: This article employed an online survey of users of a mHealth app that was designed and developed in the GN for global use. Survey participants included healthcare practitioners from a GS country and the survey was administered by snowball sampling method.<br/> Results: Eighty-three survey responses from healthcare practitioners in Nepal were coded into three broad categories: user experience and mHealth apps, localized usability and mHealth apps, and persuasive design and mHealth apps. Their relationships and connections are examined within these categories.<br/> Conclusion: From a user empowerment perspective, understanding the interest, motivation, and concerns of end-users is vital to the development and implementation of mHealth apps, especially in the low- and middle-income healthcare contexts in which healthcare practitioners have limited resources. Culturally sustaining localized UX approaches should be adopted to create usable, empowering, and persuasive mHealth apps for use in resource-constrained cultural settings in the GS.

V‐model with fuzzy quality function deployments for mobile application development

AbstractMobile application (app) development is a subset of software development distinguished by a short development life cycle, rapidly changing business requirements, mobile device technical specifications, and operating system compatibility. The study presents a V‐model mobile app development technique that combines two fuzzy quality function deployment (FQFD) phases. In mobile app development, user requirements are often misunderstood, resulting in poor mobile app design. The research motivation for employing FQFD is to obtain more accurate deductions of human (user or design team) inputs affected by intrinsic vagueness and ambiguity in linguistics. The combination hence delivers synergistic benefits, where FQFDs more effectively solicits and breaks down the voice of the customer (VOC) and system requirements, and the V‐model aligns the development to the broken‐down requirements. The development of an online statistical process control app was demonstrated. FQFD structurally related user requirements, system requirements, and design strategies in the V‐model's verification phases. The validation phases used test plans created during the verification phases to detect and correct programming errors. In the final validation stage, the focus group agreed that the mobile app met all of the user requirements. This study adds to the methodology's novelty by proposing and demonstrating the integration of the FQFD and V‐model into the development of mobile apps. As a result of the limitation, other areas of software engineering, such as time and resource coordination and release management, are not considered.

Mobile App Prototype in Older Adults for Postfracture Acute Pain Management: User-Centered Design Approach.

Postfracture acute pain is often inadequately managed in older adults. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies can offer opportunities for self-management of pain; however, insufficient apps exist for acute pain management after a fracture, and none are designed for an older adult population. This study aims to design, develop, and evaluate an mHealth app prototype using a human-centered design approach to support older adults in the self-management of postfracture acute pain. This study used a multidisciplinary and user-centered design approach. Overall, 7 stakeholders (ie, 1 clinician-researcher specialized in internal medicine, 2 user experience designers, 1 computer science researcher, 1 clinical research assistant researcher, and 2 pharmacists) from the project team, together with 355 external stakeholders, were involved throughout our user-centered development process that included surveys, requirement elicitation, participatory design workshops, mobile app design and development, mobile app content development, and usability testing. We completed this study in 3 phases. We analyzed data from prior surveys administered to 305 members of the Canadian Osteoporosis Patient Network and 34 health care professionals to identify requirements for designing a low-fidelity prototype. Next, we facilitated 4 participatory design workshops with 6 participants for feedback on content, presentation, and interaction with our proposed low-fidelity prototype. After analyzing the collected data using thematic analysis, we designed a medium-fidelity prototype. Finally, to evaluate our medium-fidelity prototype, we conducted usability tests with 10 participants. The results informed the design of our high-fidelity prototype. Throughout all the phases of this development study, we incorporated inputs from health professionals to ensure the accuracy and validity of the medical content in our prototypes. We identified 3 categories of functionalities necessary to include in the design of our initial low-fidelity prototype: the need for support resources, diary entries, and access to educational materials. We then conducted a thematic analysis of the data collected in the design workshops, which revealed 4 themes: feedback on the user interface design and usability, requests for additional functionalities, feedback on medical guides and educational materials, and suggestions for additional medical content. On the basis of these results, we designed a medium-fidelity prototype. All the participants in the usability evaluation tests found the medium-fidelity prototype useful and easy to use. On the basis of the feedback and difficulties experienced by participants, we adjusted our design in preparation for the high-fidelity prototype. We designed, developed, and evaluated an mHealth app to support older adults in the self-management of pain after a fracture. The participants found our proposed prototype useful for managing acute pain and easy to interact with and navigate. Assessment of the clinical outcomes and long-term effects of our proposed mHealth app will be evaluated in the future.

Cultural and Digital Health Literacy Appropriateness of App- and Web-Based Systems Designed for Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Scoping Review.

BackgroundThe prevalence of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing dramatically. Mobile technologies to enhance patient self-management offer many advantages for women diagnosed with GDM. However, to our knowledge, although mobile health (mHealth) and telemedicine systems for GDM management exist, evidence on their cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness levels is limited.ObjectiveThis review aimed to search and assess the literature on mHealth and telemedicine systems designed for women diagnosed with GDM. Our assessment of these technologies focused on their cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness as well as the systems’ effectiveness in improving glycemic control and maternal and infant outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review using a framework adapted from Arksey and O’Malley. Four electronic databases were searched for relevant studies: PubMed, MEDLINE (EBSCO), Web of Science, and Scopus. The databases were searched between January 2010 and January 2022. The inclusion criteria were pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, use of telemedicine for monitoring and management, and vulnerable or disadvantaged patients. We used terms related to mobile apps and telemedicine: GDM, vulnerable populations, periphery, cultural appropriateness, and digital health literacy. Studies were screened and selected independently by 2 authors. We extracted the study data on a Microsoft Excel charting table and categorized them into final themes. The results were categorized according to the cultural and digital health literacy features presented.ResultsWe identified 17 studies that reported on 12 telemedicine and mHealth app interventions. We assessed the studies in three domains: cultural appropriateness, digital health literacy, and maternal and infant outcomes. In the literature, we found that existing digital technologies may improve glycemic control and diabetes self-management. However, there is a lack of assessment of cultural and digital health literacy appropriateness for pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Considerations in app design regarding cultural appropriateness were found in only 12% (2/17) of the studies, and only 25% (3/12) of the interventions scored ≥3 out of 5 in our assessment of digital health literacy.ConclusionsmHealth and telemedicine can be an effective platform to improve the clinical management of women with GDM. Although studies published on the use of mHealth and telemedicine systems exist, there is a limited body of knowledge on the digital health literacy and cultural appropriateness of the systems designed for women diagnosed with GDM. In addition, as our study was restricted to the English language, relevant studies may have been excluded. Further research is needed to evaluate, design, and implement better tailored apps regarding cultural and digital literacy appropriateness for enhancing pregnant women’s self-management as well as the effectiveness of these apps in improving maternal and infant health outcomes.

Value co-creation through branded apps: enhancing perceived quality and brand loyalty

PurposeBranded applications (apps) are increasingly important in marketers' omnichannel strategies. They have not only changed the way customers purchase but also changed the way how companies interact with customers. Building on value co-creation literature, this research investigates consumer brand engagement's role in enhancing perceived quality and brand loyalty via value co-creation.Design/methodology/approachUsing online survey data from 355 brand app users, a conceptual model is tested employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results suggest that not only does branded app personalization drives brand co-creation (fully mediated by consumer brand engagement) but that this process also increases perceived quality and brand loyalty among users of branded apps.Research limitations/implicationsData for the study are self-reported and thus may not accurately reflect actual attitudes and behaviors. In addition, respondents were students within the United States who, although representative of branded app users, may limit the generalizability of the study.Practical implicationsKnowing that branded apps can influence customers' perception of the quality and value of their apps, products and services, or even their associated brands, marketers and app designers should work together to provide a value co-creation platform through the apps to increase customers' personalized, engaging experience.Originality/valueAlthough various relationships between personalization, engagement and co-creation have been studied, along with their impact on loyalty and perceived value, the interaction between these factors is not widely understood. The study examines these interactions in the context of branded apps, through the service-dominant logic perspective.

The Role UX Design Attributes Play in the Perceived Persuasiveness of Contact Tracing Apps

Contact tracing apps (CTAs) were deployed worldwide in 2020 to combat COVID-19. Due to their low uptake, a growing amount of empirical research is being conducted to understand the factors that drive their adoption. For CTAs to be adopted, users must, first and foremost, find them persuasive. However, there is little research to understand the role user experience (UX) plays in their perceived persuasiveness. Consequently, we conducted an online study on Amazon Mechanical Turk among Canadian and American residents (n = 446) to investigate the most important UX design attributes associated with the perceived persuasiveness of CTAs. The study was based on two app designs (control and persuasive), each of which comprises three use cases: no exposure, exposure, and diagnosis report interfaces. One interface (screenshot) was randomly presented to a participant to view and provide their responses on the perceived UX design attributes and perceived persuasiveness of the interface. In the overall model, we found that perceived usefulness is the most important and consistent UX design attribute that influences perceived persuasiveness (β = 0.29, p < 0.001), followed by perceived trustworthiness (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) and perceived privacy protection (β = 0.16, p < 0.05). Respectively, the three predictors were consistently significant in two-thirds, half, and one-third of the 12 submodels based on app design, adoption status, and country of residence. The relationships regarding the persuasive designs are more likely to be significant, with the variance of the target construct explained by the predictors ranging from 71% to 89% compared with 54% to 69% for the control designs. The three significant attributes will help designers know which UX design attributes to focus on when designing CTAs for future epidemics. More importantly, in predictive modeling, if their ratings are known, they hold potential in predicting new users’ responsiveness to multiple persuasive strategies/messages featured in behavior-change support systems.

Separating Features From Functionality in Vaccination Apps: Computational Analysis.

BackgroundSome latest estimates show that approximately 95% of Americans own a smartphone with numerous functions such as SMS text messaging, the ability to take high-resolution pictures, and mobile software apps. Mobile health apps focusing on vaccination and immunization have proliferated in the digital health information technology market. Mobile health apps have the potential to positively affect vaccination coverage. However, their general functionality, user and disease coverage, and exchange of information have not been comprehensively studied or evaluated computationally.ObjectiveThe primary aim of this study is to develop a computational method to explore the descriptive, usability, information exchange, and privacy features of vaccination apps, which can inform vaccination app design. Furthermore, we sought to identify potential limitations and drawbacks in the apps’ design, readability, and information exchange abilities.MethodsA comprehensive codebook was developed to conduct a content analysis on vaccination apps’ descriptive, usability, information exchange, and privacy features. The search and selection process for vaccination-related apps was conducted from March to May 2019. We identified a total of 211 apps across both platforms, with iOS and Android representing 62.1% (131/211) and 37.9% (80/211) of the apps, respectively. Of the 211 apps, 119 (56.4%) were included in the final study analysis, with 42 features evaluated according to the developed codebook. The apps selected were a mix of apps used in the United States and internationally. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of the data. Furthermore, cluster analysis was used with unsupervised machine learning to determine patterns within the data to group the apps based on preselected features.ResultsThe results indicated that readability and information exchange were highly correlated features based on principal component analysis. Of the 119 apps, 53 (44.5%) were iOS apps, 55 (46.2%) were for the Android operating system, and 11 (9.2%) could be found on both platforms. Cluster 1 of the k-means analysis contained 22.7% (27/119) of the apps; these were shown to have the highest percentage of features represented among the selected features.ConclusionsWe conclude that our computational method was able to identify important features of vaccination apps correlating with end user experience and categorize those apps through cluster analysis. Collaborating with clinical health providers and public health officials during design and development can improve the overall functionality of the apps.

Motivating consumers for health and fitness: The role of app features

AbstractSmartphone apps can create value for consumers by supporting their health goals. The purpose of the study was to reveal people's preferences for Self‐Determination theory derived app features of health‐related apps that can potentially promote motivation and sustained use of such apps. Three discrete choice experiments, followed by a ranking task, were used to assess consumer preferences for specific app features that can support the basic needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness among respondents from Germany and Spain (N = 719). Participants preferred the autonomy supporting app features, namely making changes to the menu recommendations or self‐selecting their rewards. The competence supporting features of levels of progress and feedback that provided encouragement together with facts were preferred across countries; however, presenting the feedback in a dynamic display was disliked in Germany. The relatedness supporting feature, presence of an anthropomorphic cue with the menu recommendations, was preferred in Germany but disliked in Spain. Health and fitness apps can benefit from including features that bring value to consumers by responding to their psychological needs and help them achieve their health goals. Allowing choice flexibility in app recommendations, providing feedback that is encouraging in addition to informative, and including gamification elements in health apps, can respond to consumer preferences and thereby increase engagement with apps. The study contributes to understanding how the theoretically derived features of health apps can be included in the design of apps to match consumer preferences.

Development of a Mobile-Based Self-care Application for Patients with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema in Iran.

Due to the chronic, progressive, and debilitating nature of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), it is necessary to observe and maintain self-care management accordingly. This study was conducted to develop a mobile application based on the Android operating system for self-care management of Iranian patients with BCRL. An applied developmental study was conducted in 2020. The users' information needs assessment as well as design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the mobile app for self-care management of patients with BCRL was done by searching the literature, reviewing the existing mobile applications, and surveying the users' needs. The mobile app was designed using the Android Studio environment and Java programming language in the Android operating system. The usability of the app was evaluated by 30 patients with BCRL using the questionnaire for user interface satisfaction-seventh version (QUIS 7). The mobile app for BCRL included demographic information, clinical information, lifestyle and system functions (drug use, nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, communication, and test time reminder). User usability evaluation of the app content and functions confirmed that it was appropriate and satisfactory for the self-management of women with BCRL. The mobile app was appropriate in terms of the content, function, and quality for improving the patients' lifestyle and education and self-management of BCRL symptoms according to its usability evaluation from the end-users' (patients) perspective. It is suggested that studies should be performed to confirm the effectiveness and identify the clinical significance of the app.