Usability Barriers Research Articles

Barriers to optimal and appropriate use of uterotonics during active labour and for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in public health care facilities: An exploratory study in five states of India

ObjectiveThe main objective is to understand the practices regarding use of uterotonics during active labour and for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage and the barriers for its optimal and appropriate use at different levels of health facilities in five states of India. Study DesignMixed methods approach comprising of cross-sectional observational study of existing practices of uterotonics use during labour and early postpartum period for 1479 vaginal deliveries at 56 facilities. Quantitative data was collected using pre-tested proformas filled by on-site observers and qualitative data was collected by in-depth interviews of 125 maternity care providers of the observed facilities. Main outcome measureProviders’ knowledge, attitude and patterns of use of uterotonics during active labour and for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage during childbirth. ResultsOn-site observation and interviews indicated inappropriate choice of uterotonics administered in varied doses for labour management across facilities. Unnecessary augmentation of labour was observed in 44.7% low-risk pregnancies and only 31% women were administered uterotonics in optimal doses for preventing postpartum haemorrhage. Only 46.4% providers in the observed facilities reported to have received maternal and child healthcare training according to the updated guidelines. Lack of supportive supervision for mandated practices among peers emerged as an important barrier for appropriate uterotonics usage in labour. ConclusionThere is an urgent scope of standardizing the institutional health policies regarding administration of uterotonics during labour and for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage. Capacity building of maternity care providers regarding appropriate uterotonics usage is recommended for all levels of health facilities.

Direct electrosynthesis of 52% concentrated CO on silver\u2019s twin boundary

The gaseous product concentration in direct electrochemical CO2 reduction is usually hurdled by the electrode’s Faradaic efficiency, current density, and inevitable mixing with the unreacted CO2. A concentrated gaseous product with high purity will greatly lower the barrier for large-scale CO2 fixation and follow-up industrial usage. Here, we developed a pneumatic trough setup to collect the CO2 reduction product from a precisely engineered nanotwinned electrocatalyst, without using ion-exchange membrane. The silver catalyst’s twin boundary density can be tuned from 0.3 to 1.5 × 104 cm−1. With the lengthy and winding twin boundaries, this catalyst exhibits a Faradaic efficiency up to 92% at −1.0 V and a turnover frequency of 127 s−1 in converting CO2 to CO. Through a tandem electrochemical-CVD system, we successfully produced CO with a volume percentage of up to 52%, and further transformed it into single layer graphene film.

Resolving atomic-scale phase transformation and oxygen loss mechanism in ultrahigh-nickel layered cathodes for cobalt-free lithium-ion batteries

Summary Doped LiNiO2 has recently become one of the most promising cathode materials for its high specific energy, long cycle life, and reduced cobalt content. Despite this, the degradation mechanism of LiNiO2 and its derivatives still remains elusive. Here, by combining in situ electron microscopy and first-principles calculations, we elucidate the atomic-level chemomechanical degradation pathway of LiNiO2-derived cathodes. We uncover that the O1 phase formed at high voltages acts as a preferential site for rock-salt transformation via a two-step pathway involving cation mixing and shear along (003) planes. Moreover, electron tomography reveals that planar cracks nucleated simultaneously from particle interior and surface propagate along the [100] direction on (003) planes, accompanied by concurrent structural degradation in a discrete manner. Our results provide an in-depth understanding of the degradation mechanism of LiNiO2-derived cathodes, pointing out the concept that suppressing the O1 phase and oxygen loss is key to stabilizing LiNiO2 for developing next-generation high-energy cathode materials.

Wheeled Mobility Use on Accessible Fixed-Route Transit: A Field Study in Environmental Docility.

Multiple field studies provide qualitative accounts of usability barriers experienced by users of wheeled mobility devices on public transit. This study aimed to examine these usability barriers from the theoretical perspective of Environmental Docility by quantifying the relationship between functional capabilities of wheeled mobility device users and ingress–egress performance on accessible fixed-route transit vehicles in an urban setting. Twenty-eight wheeled mobility users each completed three trips on a predetermined route through the local public transit system. Ingress and egress times, user-reported usability ratings and open-ended comments were analyzed. Regression analyses indicated significant interactions between age and minimum parallel-park length on ingress and egress times. Specifically, lower functional capability reflected in older age and less maneuvering ability predicted decreased performance (longer ingress–egress times), indicating less adaptability to environmental demands and agreement with the Environmental Docility Hypothesis. Usability ratings and comments revealed difficulty with negotiating access ramps and turning maneuvers in the vehicle interior and in proximity to other passengers. Despite compliance with accessibility standards, current design of transit vehicles present substantial usability barriers for wheeled mobility users. Environmental Docility provides a theoretical basis to identifying modifiable factors related to person and environment for improving usability of public transit for people aging and/or with mobility impairments.

Impact of summer heat on urban park visitation, perceived health and ecosystem service appreciation

Urbanization, environmental change and ageing are putting urban health at risk. In many cities, heat stress is projected to increase. Urban green spaces are considered as an important resource to strengthen the resilience of city dwellers. We conducted a questionnaire survey in two structurally distinct parks in Leipzig, Germany, on hot summer days in 2019. We assessed the respondents’ activity patterns, satisfaction with the existing infrastructure, heat-related health impairment, changes in park use during heat waves and evaluation of the role of parks in coping with heat stress. We found that the old-grown, tree-rich park was used significantly more frequently for experiencing nature, while the newer, less tree-rich park developed on a former railway-brownfield site was used more often for socializing and having BBQs and picnics. Satisfaction with available drinking fountains and public toilets was generally low and satisfaction with lighting was assessed less satisfactory in the old-grown park. Safety was assessed as satisfactory in general but significantly less satisfactory by female respondents. The heat stress summary score indicating heat-related health impairment was significantly higher for participants in the newer park. A high share of respondents stated that they used parks during heat waves as frequently as usual in the summer (46 %), while some respondents stated that they adapted their park use behaviour (18 %), e.g., by coming later in the evening. Regarding the participants’ responses about the role of parks under summer heat conditions, we matched 138 statements to several regulating and cultural ecosystem services, and we found cooling and recreation to be mentioned most often. We concluded that green space planning should diminish usage barriers, such as insufficient lighting and insufficient sanitary infrastructure, to ensure equal park use opportunities for all city dwellers. Specific local environmental and sociocultural conditions, changing environments and climate adaptation must be considered. To maintain ecological processes and functions and to cope with climate change, urban planning should preserve older parks with a large amount of tree coverage while respecting demands for particular built infrastructure.

Psychological and System-Related Barriers to Adopting Blockchain for Operations Management: An Artificial Neural Network Approach

This article aims to identify the barriers to adopting blockchain for operations management (BCOM). The barriers discussed include psychological barriers [information barrier (IB), usage barrier (UB), and functional risk barrier (FRB)] and system-related barriers [security and privacy barrier (SPB), compatibility and interoperability barrier (CIB), and system quality barrier (SQB)]. Data collected from 178 responses from manufacturing firms were analyzed using artificial neural network (ANN) to capture both linear and nonlinear relationships in the proposed model that comprises of psychological and systems-related barriers and resistance to BCOM. Nonlinear relationships of the barriers toward BCOM resistance were found. This is a significant contribution as previous studies only found linear relationships. Results also revealed that FRB has the highest level of importance toward blockchain resistance, followed by UB, SPB, and IB. CIB and SQB were found to have the least importance to BCOM. In addition, the negligible values of root-mean square of error concluded that the ANN model exhibits a good model fit. This article contributes to the understanding of BCOM by integrating psychological barriers and systems-related barriers to the current conceptual model. The study also offers practical guidelines and suggestions for future research.

Tangible VR Book: Exploring the Design Space of Marker-Based Tangible Interfaces for Virtual Reality

Tangible User Interface (TUI) represents a huge potential for Virtual Reality (VR) because tangibles can naturally provide rich haptic cues which are often missing in VR experiences that make use of standard controllers. We are particularly interested in implementing TUIs for smartphone-based VR, given the lower usage barrier and easy deployment. In order to keep the overall system simple and accessible, we have explored object detection through visual markers, using the smartphone’s camera. In order to help VR experience designers, in this work we present a design space for marker-based TUI for VR. We have mapped this design space by developing several marker-based tangible interaction prototypes and through a formative study with professionals with different backgrounds. We then instantiated the design space in a Tangible VR Book which we evaluate with remote user studies inspired by the vignette methodology.

Investigating the Determinants and Barriers of Purchase Intention of Innovative New Products

The purpose of this study was to examine the purchase intention of innovative new product (e.g., Galaxy Fold) by integrating behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) to the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) to test the relative influence of reasons for and reasons against adoption on purchase attitude and purchase intention of Korean consumers. A quantitative research method via an online survey was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. The sample of the study was 242 Korean consumers who participated in the online survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted by using AMOS 21.0 to test the proposed relationships. The findings showed that value for changes positively related to the reasons for adoption and negatively related to reasons against adoption. Reasons for adoption (e.g., relative advantage, compatibility, simplicity) have a significant positive effect on the purchase attitude, and reasons against adoption (e.g., price barrier, performance barrier, usage barrier) have a significant negative effect on the purchase attitude. Finally, purchase attitude has a significant positive relationship to the purchase intention of innovative new product. The findings of this study offer significant theoretical and managerial contributions in the context of sustainable innovative new product development.

Exploring e-mobile banking implementation barriers on Indonesian millennial generation consumers

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of value barriers, risk barriers, image barriers, cost barriers and usage barriers on the use of mobile banking in millennial generation customers. This research used a quantitative approach and the sampling technique used is purposive sampling which conducts research on a group of subjects with certain characteristics or is considered closely related to previously known population characteristics. This research was conducted by distributing 140 online questionnaires to mobile banking users and there were 110 questionnaires that were reversed and processed. Sampling methods use snowball sampling. The results indicate that there was a positive but not significant effect between risk barriers and mobile banking adoption intentions. However, there was a negative influence between image barriers and mobile banking adoption intentions. Moreover, there was a positive influence between perceived cost barriers and mobile banking adoption intentions, there was a positive influence between the barriers to use and mobile banking adoption the intention to adopt. Finally, there was a significant influence between value barriers and mobile banking adoption intentions.

Insulin Usage and Practices in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes.

Context:Data on insulin usage and practices in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is sparse in India.Aims:To analyze the various insulin types and regimens used by children and adolescents with T1D, the techniques and the devices used for insulin administration, and the storage and disposal methods of delivery devices.Settings and Design:Observational cross-sectional study.Methods and Materials:Study subjects were children and adolescents with T1D ≥6 months and informed consent was obtained. A detailed demographic history was collected, and a predesigned, pretested questionnaire was used.Results:The number of subjects were 90 (M: F; 32:58), age ranging from 3 to 18 years and duration of T1D was 6 months to 16 years. Mean age was 13 ± 4.6 yrs, HbA1c was 9.11 ± 2.2% and duration was 5 years. Conventional insulins were more commonly used than analogs. Basal-bolus (BB) regimen was used in 49% of the subjects. Mean HbA1c for analogs was 7.6% and conventional was 9.3% (p = 0.001). HbA1c <8% was significantly more in those aged 3-8 yrs, mean duration ≤4.1 yrs, those using pens and BB regimen. Fifty-six percent were using own refrigerators for storage and the most common barriers for insulin usage were fear of hypoglycemia (37%), inaccessibility (20%), and apprehension of shots (18%). Site rotation patterns were followed by 84% and 94% of the subjects reported disposing syringes and sharps as general waste.Conclusions:Conventional insulins and vial-syringes remain the most commonly used insulin delivery systems. Glycemic control was better in younger age, lesser duration, BB regimen, analog usage, and pen devices.

Does Information Affect Online Zakat Payment?

Indonesia has enormous potential for zakat, but the results of collecting zakat are still far from the existing potential. OPZ has made various ways to increase the collection of zakat funds, one of which is by implementing online zakat payments. This study aims to analyze the resistance to using online zakat payment services. The research approach is quantitative with the help of smartPLS software. This study's variables consist of information variables, which are independent variables, while the dependent variable consists of traditional barrier variables, image barriers, usage barriers, value barriers, and risk barriers. Data in this study collected using a questionnaire. The sample of this study was 100 respondents from various regions in Indonesia. The results showed that the information has a significant and negative effect on the traditional barrier variables, image barrier, usage barrier, value barrier. This means that the greater / more information provided by OPZ, the barrier in using online zakat payment services are getting smaller / less. The information variable on the risk barrier shows insignificant and negative results.

Issues Associated With the Management and Governance of Sensor Data and Information to Assist Aging in Place: Focus Group Study With Health Care Professionals.

BackgroundSmart home and telemonitoring technologies have often been suggested to assist health care workers in supporting older people to age in place. However, there is limited research examining diverse information needs of different groups of health care workers and their access to appropriate information technologies.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the issues associated with using technologies that connect older people to their health care providers to support aging in place and enhance older people’s health and well-being.MethodsSeven focus group discussions were conducted comprising 44 health care professionals who provided clinic-based or in-home services to community-dwelling older people. Participants were asked about their information needs and how technology could help them support older people to age in place. The recordings of the sessions were transcribed and thematically analyzed.ResultsThe perspectives varied between the respondents who worked in primary care clinics and those who worked in community-based services. Three overarching themes were identified. The first theme was “access to technology and systems,” which examined the different levels of technology in use and the problems that various groups of health care professionals had in accessing information about their patients. Primary care professionals had access to good internal information systems but they experienced poor integration with other health care providers. The community-based teams had poor access to technology. The second theme was “collecting and sharing of information,” which focused on how technology might be used to provide them with more information about their patients. Primary care teams were interested in telemonitoring for specific clinical indicators but they wanted the information to be preprocessed. Community-based teams were more concerned about gaining information on the patients’ social environment. The third theme was that all respondents identified similar “barriers to uptake”: cost and funding issues, usability of systems by older people, and information security and privacy concerns.ConclusionsThe participants perceived the potential benefits of technologies, but they were concerned that the information they received should be preprocessed and integrated with current information systems and tailored to the older people’s unique and changing situations. Several management and governance issues were identified, which needed to be resolved to enable the widespread integration of these technologies into the health care system. The disconnected nature of the current information architecture means that there is no clear way for sensor data from telemonitoring and smart home devices to be integrated with other patient information. Furthermore, cost, privacy, security, and usability barriers also need to be resolved. This study highlights the importance and the complexity of management and governance of systems to collect and disseminate such information. Further research into the requirements of all stakeholder groups and how the information can be processed and disseminated is required.

Factors influencing the adoption postponement of mobile payment services in the hospitality sector during a pandemic

In the post-COVID-19 era, the hospitality sector may witness a wider use of mobile payment services (MPS) not requiring physical contact. But consumers may postpone adoption of MPS in wait for a more attractive iteration. Given consumers' reluctance to adapt to such services, an investigation into MPS adoption postponement and the factors contributing to it is thus needed. Our research model extends the innovation resistance theory by including two behavioral measures (privacy concerns and visibility) and examining how security concerns moderate the associations between them. We analyzed data from 308 respondents who had previously purchased accommodation and transportation services using MPS, employing structural equation modeling to test the research model. The crucial factors we identified were usage barrier and image barriers, privacy concerns, and visibility. Furthermore, security concerns significantly moderated the association between image barrier and MPS adoption postponement in the hospitality sector. The present study thus has important theoretical and practical implications for hospitality managers, particularly for understanding consumers’ behavior toward MPS use and how to leverage these services accordingly. Finally, we suggest that future researchers may investigate the factors causing the adoption postponement of other technological innovations in this sector.

The Barriers towards the Adoption of E-Wallet Payment System

Many countries including Malaysia are aiming for cashless society, in which represent the transition of business transaction from cash to electronic-based transactions Hence, the escalating trend of using electronic payment system can be observed especially during the COVID-19 crisis where consumers are transitioning to electronic commerce (e-commerce) as well as mobile commerce (m-commerce) business, however there are consumers who are not keen on e-wallet usage Thus, this research aims to investigate the barriers towards the adoption of E-Wallet payment system Based on Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT), the barriers refer to the factors of value barrier (VB), usage barrier (UB), risk barrier (RB) and perceived cost barrier (PCB) The results of the research were obtained from 248 respondents of fourth year students in the Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, University Malaysia Kelantan with the help of Krejcie and Morgan table sampling method and through the use of questionnaire Besides, Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) method and Spearman’s correlation analysis were also used to analyze the data from the questionnaire It was found that value barrier, usage barrier, risk barrier as well as perceived cost barrier have a significant relationship with the adoption of E-wallet payment system As the results highlighted the barricades that cease an individual from using e-wallet despite of its benefits, the policy maker can ponder the result to accelerate the adoption of e-wallet to a more desirable level in the nation © International Research Publication House

“I just don't like digital-only banks, and you should not use them either”: Traditional-bank customers' opposition to using digital-only banks

To succeed in the long term, it will be important for digital-only banks to prevent and overcome traditional-bank customers' resistance. Against this background, this study investigates traditional-bank customers' negative attitude to using a digital-only bank, based on the evaluation of product-specific adoption barriers, influencing opposition to the use of digital-only banks. The study confirmed the theoretical importance of negative attitude as an important determinant of traditional-bank customers’ opposition intention. The image barrier had the strongest influence on negative attitude, while the results did not show empirical support for the role of the usage barrier as a determinant of negative attitude.

Relationships Between Learned Self-Regulatory Skills and Changes in Weight-Loss Behaviors: Mediation by Barriers Self-Efficacy

This study aimed to assess changes in learned self-regulatory skills and barriers self-efficacy associated with theory-based behavioral weight-loss treatments with different curricular emphases, and to evaluate mechanisms of short- and long-term changes in exercise and eating behaviors via self-regulatory skills usage to inform theory and improve lagging intervention effects. Women with obesity volunteered and were randomly allocated into 1-year community-based behavioral weight-loss treatments with either a high ( n = 37) or moderate ( n = 41) focus on building self-regulatory skills to overcome lifestyle barriers. They were periodically assessed on measures of exercise- and eating-related self-regulatory skill usage, exercise- and eating-related barriers self-efficacy, exercise outputs, fruit/vegetable intake, and body composition. Reductions in weight and waist circumference, increases in exercise- and eating-related self-regulation and barriers self-efficacy, and increases in exercise and fruit/vegetable intake were each significant overall, and significantly greater in the group with a high self-regulatory skills-building focus. Change in barriers self-efficacy significantly mediated relationships between self-regulation change and changes in exercise outputs and fruit/vegetable intake from both baseline–Month 6 and baseline–Month 12. Change in barriers self-efficacy also significantly mediated relationships between change in self-regulation for eating from baseline–Month 3 and long-term changes in self-regulation for eating. Findings supported tenets of social cognitive, self-efficacy, and self-regulation theories: and indicated the importance of emphasizing, and facilitating a high amount of instruction and rehearsal time for self-regulatory skills development within behavioral weight-loss treatments. The ability to nurture self-efficacy through overcoming lifestyle barriers was also indicated.

The Role of Information in Online Zakat Payment Resistance

Indonesia has enormous potential for zakat, but the results of collecting zakat are still far from the existing potential. OPZ has made various ways to increase the collection of zakat funds, one of which is by implementing online zakat payments. This study aims to analyze the resistance to using online zakat payment services. The research approach is quantitative with the help of smartPLS software. This study's variables consist of information variables, which are independent variables, while the dependent variable consists of traditional barrier variables, image barriers, usage barriers, value barriers, and risk barriers. Data in this study collected using a questionnaire. The sample of this study was 100 respondents from various regions in Indonesia. The results showed that the information has a significant and negative effect on the traditional barrier variables, image barrier, usage barrier, value barrier. This means that the greater / more information provided by OPZ, the barrier in using online zakat payment services are getting smaller / less. The information variable on the risk barrier shows insignificant and negative results.

Wearable Technology Acceptance in Health Care Based on National Culture Differences: Cross-Country Analysis Between Chinese and Swiss Consumers.

BackgroundThe advancement of wearable devices and growing demand of consumers to monitor their own health have influenced the medical industry. Health care providers, insurers, and global technology companies intend to develop more wearable devices incorporating medical technology and to target consumers worldwide. However, acceptance of these devices varies considerably among consumers of different cultural backgrounds. Consumer willingness to use health care wearables is influenced by multiple factors that are of varying importance in various cultures. However, there is insufficient knowledge of the extent to which social and cultural factors affect wearable technology acceptance in health care.ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to examine the influential factors on the intention to adopt health care wearables, and the differences in the underlying motives and usage barriers between Chinese and Swiss consumers.MethodsA new model for acceptance of health care wearables was conceptualized by incorporating predictors of different theories such as technology acceptance, health behavior, and privacy calculus based on an existing framework. To verify the model, a web-based survey in both the Chinese and German languages was conducted in China and Switzerland, resulting in 201 valid Chinese and 110 valid Swiss respondents. A multigroup partial least squares path analysis was applied to the survey data.ResultsPerformance expectancy (β=.361, P<.001), social influence (β=.475, P<.001), and hedonic motivation (β=.111, P=.01) all positively affected the behavioral intention of consumers to adopt wearables, whereas effort expectancy, functional congruence, health consciousness, and perceived privacy risk did not demonstrate a significant impact on behavioral intention. The group-specific path coefficients indicated health consciousness (β=.150, P=.01) as a factor positively affecting only the behavior intention of the Chinese respondents, whereas the factors affecting only the behavioral intention of the Swiss respondents proved to be effort expectancy (β=.165, P=.02) and hedonic motivation (β=.212, P=.02). Performance expectancy asserted more of an influence on the behavioral intention of the Swiss (β=.426, P<.001) than the Chinese (β=.271, P<.001) respondents, whereas social influence had a greater influence on the behavioral intention of the Chinese (β=.321, P<.001) than the Swiss (β=.217, P=.004) respondents. Overall, the Chinese consumers displayed considerably higher behavioral intention (P<.001) than the Swiss. These discrepancies are explained by differences in national culture.ConclusionsThis is one of the first studies to investigate consumers’ intention to adopt wearables from a cross-cultural perspective. This provides a theoretical and methodological foundation for future research, as well as practical implications for global vendors and insurers developing and promoting health care wearables with appropriate features in different countries. The testimonials and support by physicians, evidence of measurement accuracy, and easy handling of health care wearables would be useful in promoting the acceptance of wearables in Switzerland. The opinions of in-group members, involvement of employers, and multifunctional apps providing credible health care advice and solutions in cooperation with health care institutions would increase acceptance among the Chinese.

What drives brand love for natural products? The moderating role of household size

Natural products, including food, cosmetics, and other fast-moving consumer goods, are becoming increasingly popular, and their health-related benefits are widely recognized. Despite the growing awareness and use of natural products, little is known about the enablers and barriers that influence consumers' brand love toward them. The present study attempts to address this gap and better explain consumer behavior toward natural products by utilizing the stimuli-organism-response (S–O-R) theory. The study rests on the premise that certain stimuli influence the internal state of consumers (i.e., the organism), which, in turn, shape their response to products and services. This study uses health consciousness and environmental concern as the stimuli, both facilitators (natural content and regional product) and inhibitors (usage and image barriers) as the internal state of the ‘organism’, and brand love as the response. Based on analysis of 720 responses, the study empirically reveals that health consciousness and environmental concern significantly influence the consumers' internal state, as represented by the identified facilitators and inhibitors . Three of these, namely, regional product, image barriers, and usage barriers, are found to shape brand love for natural products. The moderating role of household size on brand love is also confirmed.The findings of the study contribute to the literature on consumer behavior and practice.

Feasibility of Self-Monitoring Rheumatoid Arthritis With a Smartphone App: Results of Two Mixed-Methods Pilot Studies.

BackgroundSeveral mobile apps that monitor symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) exist, but a recent systematic review indicated that high-quality apps are lacking. When patients self-monitor their own disease with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and self-initiate care at the right moment, it may be possible to reduce the frequency of their clinic visits, which would reduce health care burden and costs. We developed an app, that is, the MijnReuma Reade app, for this purpose and performed 2 pilot tests with weekly self-monitoring.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to design, develop, and evaluate the usability, satisfaction, and usage of the MijnReuma Reade app—an app that allows patients with RA to monitor their own disease. The secondary objective was to review the patients’ perspectives on app usage and its intended purpose.MethodsThis app was designed in collaboration with patients with RA, rheumatologists, and information technology experts. Two 1-month pilot studies were performed, after which satisfaction (0-10 scale), usability (system usability scale, 0-100), and usage (proportion of completed questionnaires) of this app were assessed. After the second pilot study, semistructured interviews were performed to determine patients’ perspectives and the promoters and barriers of app usage.ResultsIn the first and second pilot study, 42 and 27 patients were included, respectively. Overall, the patients were satisfied (medians, 8 and 7) and found the app usable (mean system usability scores, 76 and 71) in pilot studies 1 and 2, respectively. App usage declined over time in both the pilot studies; 61% (17/28) and 37% (10/27) of the patients who disclosed their usage statistics completed the final weekly questionnaire in pilot study 1 and pilot study 2, respectively. Approximately 81% (25/31) of the patients indicated they would like to skip hospital visits if the self-monitored disease activity is low. In the semistructured interviews, technical problems, internal resistance (respondent fatigue, the app reminded them of their disease), and a lack of symptoms were identified as barriers for usage. Patients reported that “experiencing more grip on their disease” and “improved communication with their physician” were promoters for usage. Patients reported that pain positively mediated usage, that is, more pain promoted and less pain discouraged app usage.ConclusionsThis study illustrates the feasibility of the MijnReuma Reade app that enables self-monitoring of the disease activity in patients with RA with the overarching aim to allocate clinical consultations according to need. Satisfaction with the app and usability of the app were found to be high; however, app usage declined over time. Patients acknowledged the potential of the app to self-monitor their own disease and would like to be able to skip clinic visits if the monitored disease activity is low. To evaluate this strategy, a randomized controlled trial is underway.