Content and Usability Evaluation of Medication Adherence Mobile Applications for Use in Pediatrics

Cross-Cutting mHealth Behavior Change Techniques to Support Treatment Adherence and Self-Management of Complex Medical Conditions: Systematic Review

Background

Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have immense potential to support disease self-management for people with complex medical conditions following treatment regimens that involve taking medicine and other self-management activities. However, there is no consensus on what discrete behavior change techniques (BCTs) should be used in an effective adherence and self-management-promoting mHealth solution for any chronic illness. Reviewing the extant literature to identify effective, cross-cutting BCTs in mHealth interventions for adherence and self-management promotion could help accelerate the development, evaluation, and dissemination of behavior change interventions with potential generalizability across complex medical conditions.

Objective

This study aimed to identify cross-cutting, mHealth-based BCTs to incorporate into effective mHealth adherence and self-management interventions for people with complex medical conditions, by systematically reviewing the literature across chronic medical conditions with similar adherence and self-management demands.

Methods

A registered systematic review was conducted to identify published evaluations of mHealth adherence and self-management interventions for chronic medical conditions with complex adherence and self-management demands. The methodological characteristics and BCTs in each study were extracted using a standard data collection form.

Results

A total of 122 studies were reviewed; the majority involved people with type 2 diabetes (28/122, 23%), asthma (27/122, 22%), and type 1 diabetes (19/122, 16%). mHealth interventions rated as having a positive outcome on adherence and self-management used more BCTs (mean 4.95, SD 2.56) than interventions with no impact on outcomes (mean 3.57, SD 1.95) or those that used >1 outcome measure or analytic approach (mean 3.90, SD 1.93; P=.02). The following BCTs were associated with positive outcomes: self-monitoring outcomes of behavior (39/59, 66%), feedback on outcomes of behavior (34/59, 58%), self-monitoring of behavior (34/59, 58%), feedback on behavior (29/59, 49%), credible source (24/59, 41%), and goal setting (behavior; 14/59, 24%). In adult-only samples, prompts and cues were associated with positive outcomes (34/45, 76%). In adolescent and young adult samples, information about health consequences (1/4, 25%), problem-solving (1/4, 25%), and material reward (behavior; 2/4, 50%) were associated with positive outcomes. In interventions explicitly targeting medicine taking, prompts and cues (25/33, 76%) and credible source (13/33, 39%) were associated with positive outcomes. In interventions focused on self-management and other adherence targets, instruction on how to perform the behavior (8/26, 31%), goal setting (behavior; 8/26, 31%), and action planning (5/26, 19%) were associated with positive outcomes.

Conclusions

To support adherence and self-management in people with complex medical conditions, mHealth tools should purposefully incorporate effective and developmentally appropriate BCTs. A cross-cutting approach to BCT selection could accelerate the development of much-needed mHealth interventions for target populations, although mHealth intervention developers should continue to consider the unique needs of the target population when designing these tools.

Youth perspectives on mobile health adherence interventions: A qualitative study guided by the supportive accountability model

OBJECTIVE

We applied a Supportive Accountability Model lens to understand how youth view remote human coaching versus automated reminders targeting medication adherence.

METHODS

We used thematic analysis to interpret (N = 22) youths' responses to semi-structured interviews after 12 weeks of mobile health intervention.

RESULTS

Participants reported that both coaching and automated reminders prompted them to take medication, improving their adherence. Participants found coaching helpful because they developed routines and strategies, were motivated to avoid disappointing their coach, and felt their coach cared for them. Automated support could be motivational for some but demanded less engagement. Participants described phone calls as disruptive to their daily lives, but conducive to developing a personal connection with their coach, whereas texts were easier and more flexible. Youth emphasized that individual preferences often differ.

CONCLUSION

Human coaching was viewed as a more potent, engaging adherence intervention than automated reminders, although individual needs and preferences differed. Phone calls may enhance the experience of supportive accountability for adherence, but also pose greater acceptability and usability barriers than texting.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Intervention developers should provide opportunities for youth to make personal connections with human adherence supporters and attend to youth preferences for communication modality.

Improving Adherence to Physical Therapy in the Development of Serious Games: Conceptual Framework Design Study

BACKGROUND

Insufficient levels of treatment adherence can have adverse effects on the outcomes of physical rehabilitation. To address this issue, alternative approaches to traditional therapies, such as serious games, have been designed to enhance adherence. Nevertheless, there remain gaps in the development of serious games concerning the effective implementation of motivation, engagement, and the enhancement of treatment adherence.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to design a conceptual framework for the development of serious games that incorporate essential adherence factors to enhance patient compliance with physical rehabilitation programs.

METHODS

We formulated a conceptual framework using iterative techniques inspired by a conceptual framework analysis. Initially, we conducted a comprehensive literature review, concentrating on the critical adherence factors in physical rehabilitation. Subsequently, we identified, categorized, integrated, and synthesized the concepts derived from the literature review to construct the conceptual framework.

RESULTS

The framework resembles a road map, comprising 3 distinct phases. In the initial phase, the patient's characteristics are identified through an initial exploration. The second phase involves the development of a serious game, with a focus on enhancing treatment adherence by integrating the key adherence factors identified. The third phase revolves around the evaluation of the serious game. These phases are underpinned by 2 overarching themes, namely, a user-centered design and the GameFlow model.

CONCLUSIONS

The conceptual framework offers a detailed, step-by-step guide for creating serious games that incorporate essential adherence factors, thereby contributing to improved adherence in the physical rehabilitation process. To establish its validity, further evaluations of this framework across various physical rehabilitation programs and user groups are necessary.

Improving medication adherence monitoring and clinical outcomes through mHealth: A randomized controlled trial protocol in pediatric stem cell transplant

Medication non-adherence rates in children range between 50% and 80% in the United States. Due to multifaceted outpatient routines, children receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) are at especially high risk of non-adherence, which can be life-threatening. Although digital health interventions have been effective in improving non-adherence in many pediatric conditions, limited research has examined their benefits among families of children receiving HCT. To address this gap, we created the BMT4me© mobile health app, an innovative intervention serving as a "virtual assistant" to send medication-taking reminders for caregivers and to track, in real-time, the child's medication taking, barriers to missed doses, symptoms or side effects, and other notes regarding their child's treatment. In this randomized controlled trial, caregivers will be randomized to either the control (standard of care) group or the intervention (BMT4me© app) group at initial discharge post-HCT. Both groups will receive an electronic adherence monitoring device (i.e., medication event monitoring system "MEMS" cap, Medy Remote Patient Management "MedyRPM" medication adherence box) to store their child's immunosuppressant medication. Caregivers who agree to participate will be asked to complete enrollment, weekly, and monthly parent-proxy measures of their child's medication adherence until the child reaches Day 100 or complete taper from immunosuppression. Caregivers will also participate in a 15 to 30-minute exit interview at the conclusion of the study. Descriptive statistics and correlations will be used to assess phone activity and use behavior over time. Independent samples t-tests will examine the efficacy of the intervention to improve adherence monitoring and reduce readmission rates. The primary expected outcome of this study is that the BMT4me© app will improve the real-time monitoring and medication adherence in children receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant following discharge, thus improving clinical outcomes.

A New Treatment Program: Focused Integrated Team-based Treatment Program for Bipolar Disorder (FITT-BD)

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorder (BD) is complicated by a dynamic, chronic course along with multiple comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions, making it challenging for clinicians to treat and patients to thrive. To efficiently manage the complexity of BD and help patients recover, we developed a Focused Integrated Team-based Treatment Program for Bipolar Disorder (FITT-BD). The purpose of this paper is to describe how we developed this clinic and the lessons we learned.

METHODS

We developed FITT-BD by integrating strategies from stepped care, collaborative care, and learning health care systems. We describe the rationale, details, and lessons learned in developing FITT-BD.

RESULTS

By integrating stepped care, collaborative care, and a learning health care system approach, FITT-BD aims to reduce barriers to care, leverage the expertise of a multidisciplinary treatment team, ensure patient-centeredness, and use assessments to inform and continuously improve outcomes in real time. We learned that there are challenges in the creation of a web-based application that tracks the treatment of patients within a network of hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

The success of FITT-BD will be determined by the degree to which it can increase treatment access, improve treatment adherence, and help individuals with BD achieve their treatment goals. We expect that FITT-BD will improve outcomes in the context of ongoing clinical care.

PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

The treatment of BD is challenging and complex. We propose a new treatment model for BD: FITT-BD. We expect that this program will be a patient-centered approach that improves outcomes in the context of ongoing clinical care for patients with BD.

Evaluation criteria for health apps supporting medication adherence in early-stage technology development - a scoping review

Introduction

Health apps offer an approach to improve the patients' management of their medication. Although the Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) has created a claim in the statutory health insurance (SHI), the large number of health apps available and their varying quality make it difficult for service providers and especially for medical laypersons to select an adequate high-quality medication app. Manufacturers need guidance for the development of high-quality apps right from the start. Various general evaluation concepts for health apps have been available to date. However, the requirements that should be met by healthcare depend largely on the field of application and the type of apps. This article aims to provide an overview of the international evidence on specific criteria for the evaluation of medication apps.

Methods

Within the framework of a scoping review, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE on January 29, 2020. The search was limited to publications from 2007 onwards as well as to English and German articles. Additionally, a semi-systematic research of reference lists of the previously included articles as well as a structured search of websites of relevant stakeholders were conducted. Inclusion criteria were the following: the publication deals with health apps that can be used on smartphones and focus on supporting medication intake; the publication does not refer to evaluation criteria for a single app exclusively. The included publications were examined in a qualitative content analysis searching for evaluation criteria and categorizing them according to the framework criteria of the DVG and the Digital Health Applications Ordinance (DiGAV).

Results

2,542 articles were identified in the systematic search (999 in PubMed, 1,543 in EMBASE, 560 duplicates). A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The semi-systematic research and the structured search identified one further study. A catalog of criteria was developed based on the included 17 studies. This catalog covers the general topics "patient orientation" (data protection and security, consumer protection, user friendliness) and "quality/core functions of medication apps" (reminder, self-monitoring, (drug) information, motivation to change behavior, drug/patient safety, robustness) as well as "interoperability/cooperation". Due to its specific importance for medication apps, the subcategory "motivation for behavioral change" stands out beneath the general topic "quality/core functions of medication apps". This category aims to evaluate the design of individual functions with regard to their potential to actually change the behavior of app users.

Discussion

The criteria for the evaluation of health apps mentioned in the DiGAV intersected with the criteria identified in the literature research. However, the area of positive health care effects was hardly covered by the included studies. In the development of the criteria catalog, it was not possible to weight the identified criteria. Therefore, the catalog should be understood as a supporting checklist for service providers, manufacturers, and/or users.

Conclusions

A large variety of possible evaluation criteria for medication apps could be shown. Future research should focus on the possibilities of weighting these diverse evaluation criteria, using not only clinical studies but also methods to identify preferences.

Recommendations for Providing Medication Adherence Support After Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: Caregivers' Lived Experience

Background. Medication adherence is challenging after pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT), particularly after hospital discharge. Post-HCT medication adherence is important to manage morbidity and mortality risk. Designing interventions that are effective and acceptable to caregivers is key to improving post-HCT medication adherence. This study aimed to characterize caregiver preferences about medication adherence support from their child's medical team. Methods. Twenty-nine caregivers of children who received an HCT completed semi-structured qualitative interviews about their experience with, and recommendations for improving, medication adherence support provided by the medical team. Twenty-two caregivers also completed a card sort task to clarify the content of received support and caregiver recommendations for future HCT families. Results. Thematic analysis revealed eight themes grouped into two categories: Communication Is Key and Practical Medication Adherence Support. Caregivers emphasized the importance of communication in helping them manage their child's outpatient medications and provided suggestions to further strengthen communication. The types of practical medication adherence support used varied across caregivers highlighting the importance of tailoring adherence support to each family's needs. Caregivers also identified all the domains as potentially helpful for other families. Discussion. Findings suggest that caregivers prefer that efforts to improve outpatient medication adherence post-HCT prioritize the medical team initiating frequent, clear, and open communication about medications, and provide educational materials on adherence (e.g., handouts). Results also indicate that practical medication adherence supports should be offered based on family preferences but that families may particularly appreciate tips about addressing medication challenges based on other caregivers' lived experience.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within Pediatric Adherence Science

Given the long-standing history of systemic racism in psychological science, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are increasingly vital to the advancement and improvement of the field. This commentary extends the seminal work of the article Upending Racism in Psychological Science: Strategies to Change How Our Science is Conducted, Reported, Reviewed, and Disseminated (Buchanan et al., Am Psychol, https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/6nk4x , 2020) by providing tangible applications and recommendations to improve DEI integration into pediatric adherence science. Real-world adherence examples are discussed regarding the challenges faced in systematically integrating DEI principles, potential solutions to overcoming barriers, and the implications of these efforts on scientific advancement in an effort to address and dismantle research practices that perpetuate inequity and White supremacy. Specifically, we provide discourse and practical guidance related to the conduct, reporting, reviewing, and dissemination of pediatric adherence science to promote dialog and produce actionable change toward the promotion of health equity and social justice.

Usability Testing of a Patient-Centered Mobile Health App for Supporting and Guiding the Pediatric Emergency Department Patient Journey: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Patient experience in emergency departments (EDs) remains often suboptimal and can be a source of stress, particularly in pediatric settings. In an attempt to support patients and their families before, during, and after their visit to a pediatric ED, a mobile health (mHealth) app was developed by a multidisciplinary team based on patient-centered care principles.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the usability (effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction) of a new mHealth app, InfoKids, by potential end users through usability testing.

METHODS

The app was assessed through an in-laboratory, video-recorded evaluation in which participants had to execute 9 goal-oriented tasks, ranging from account creation to the reception of a diagnostic sheet at the end of the emergency care episode. Effectiveness was measured based on the task completion rate, efficiency on time on task, and user satisfaction according to answers to the System Usability Scale questionnaire. Think-aloud usability sessions were also transcribed and analyzed. Usability problems were rated for their severity and categorized according to ergonomic criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 17 parents participated in the study. The overall completion rate was 97.4% (149/153). Overall, they reported good effectiveness, with the task successfully completed in 88.2% (135/153) of cases (95% CI 83%-93%). Each task, with the exception of the first, created difficulties for some participants but did not prevent their completion by most participants. Users reported an overall good to excellent perceived usability of the app. However, ergonomic evaluation identified 14 usability problems occurring 81 time. Among these, 50% (7/14) were serious as their severity was rated as either major or catastrophic and indicated areas of improvements for the app. Following the suggested usability improvements by participants, mitigation measures were listed to further improve the app and avoid barriers to its adoption.

CONCLUSIONS

Usability of the InfoKids app was evaluated as good to excellent by users. Areas of improvement were identified, and mitigation measures were proposed to inform its development toward a universal app for all ED patients visiting a digitalized institution. Its contribution could also be useful in paving the way for further research on mobile apps aimed at supporting and accompanying patients in their care episodes, as research in this area is scarce.

Parents' Experience With a Mobile Health Intervention to Influence Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Decision Making: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-attributed cancers are preventable, yet HPV vaccination rates severely lag behind other adolescent vaccinations. HPVcancerFree (HPVCF) is a mobile health (mHealth) intervention developed to influence parental HPV vaccination decision making by raising awareness of HPV, reducing HPV vaccination barriers, and enabling HPV vaccination scheduling and reminders through a smartphone app. Evaluating the user experience of mHealth interventions is a vital component in assessing their quality and success but tends to be underreported in mHealth intervention evaluation.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the user experience of HPVCF, an HPV cancer prevention app designed for a pediatric clinic network, using mixed methods data collected from log files, survey measures, and qualitative feedback.

METHODS

Study data were evaluated from parents in a large US pediatric clinic network using HPVCF in the treatment study condition of a group randomized controlled trial. Log data captured HPVCF retention and use. Postintervention rating scales and items assessed HPVCF utility, usefulness, understandability, appeal, credibility, and perceived impact. Overall quality was evaluated using the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMars). Open-ended responses assessed parent recommendations for HPVCF enhancement.

RESULTS

The 98 parents were mainly female (n=94, 96%), 41 (5.67) years of age, college educated (n=55, 56%), and White and non-Hispanic (n=55, 56%) and had private health insurance for their children (n=75, 77%). Parents used HPVCF 197 times, with the average visit duration approximating 3.5 minutes. The uMARS app quality score was positively skewed (4.2/5.0). Mean ratings were highest for information (4.46 [SD 0.53]) and lowest for engagement (3.74 [SD 0.69]). In addition, of 95 parents, 45 (47%) rated HPVCF as helpful in HPV vaccination decision making and 16 (17%) attributed HPV vaccine initiation to HPVCF. Parents reported that HPVCF increased their awareness (84/95, 88%), knowledge (84/95, 88%), and HPV vaccination intentions (64/95, 67%). Most of the 98 parents rated the 4 HPVCF components as useful (72-92 [73%-94%]). Parents also agreed that HPVCF is clear (86/95, 91%), accurate (86/95, 91%), and more helpful than other HPV vaccine information they had received (89/95, 94%) and that they would recommend it to others (81/95, 85%). In addition, parents suggested ways to increase awareness and engagement with the app, along with opportunities to enhance the content and functionality.

CONCLUSIONS

HPVCF was well received by parents and performed well on indicators of quality, usefulness, utility, credibility, and perceived impact. This study contributes a multimethod and multimeasure evaluation to the growing body of literature focused on assessing the user experience of patient-focused technology-mediated applications for HPV education.

The Needle in the Haystack: Identifying Credible Mobile Health Apps for Pediatric Populations during a Pandemic and beyond

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has ignited wider clinical adoption of digital health tools, including mobile health apps (mHealth apps), to address mental and behavioral health concerns at a distance. While mHealth apps offer many compelling benefits, identifying effective apps in the crowded and largely unregulated marketplace is laborious. Consumer demand and industry productivity are increasing, although research is slower, making it challenging for providers to determine the most credible and safe apps for patients in need.

Objectives/Methods

This commentary offers a practical, empirically guided framework and associated resources for selecting appropriate mHealth apps for pediatric populations during the pandemic and beyond.

Results

In the first stage, Narrow the target problem, end user, and contender apps. Beginning the search with continuously updated websites that contain expert app ratings can help expedite this process (e.g., Psyberguide). Second, Explore each contender app’s: (a) scientific and theoretical support (e.g., are app components consistent with health behavior change theories?), (b) privacy policies, and (c) user experience (e.g., through crowdsourcing feedback about app usability and appeal via social media). Third, use clinical expertise and stakeholder feedback to Contextualize whether the selected app is a good fit for a particular patient and/or caregiver (e.g., by considering age, race/ethnicity, ability, gender, sexual orientation, technology access), including conducting a brief self-pilot of the app.

Conclusion

Youth are increasingly turning to technology for support, especially during the pandemic, and pediatric psychologists must be primed to recommend the most credible tools. We offer additional recommendations for rapidly disseminating evidence-based apps to the public.

Patient-Reported Outcomes for Pediatric Adherence and Self-Management: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Treatment adherence is approximately 50% across pediatric conditions. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are the most common method of measuring adherence and self-management across research and clinical contexts. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate adherence and self-management PROs, including measures of adherence behaviors, adherence barriers, disease management skills, and treatment responsibility.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, literature searches were performed. Measures meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were evaluated using Hunsley and Mash's (2018) criteria for evidence-based assessment across several domains (e.g., internal consistency, interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, content validity, construct validity, validity generalization, treatment sensitivity, and clinical utility). Rating categories were adapted for the present study to include the original categories of adequate, good, and excellent, as well as an additional category of below adequate.

RESULTS

After screening 172 articles, 50 PROs across a variety of pediatric conditions were reviewed and evaluated. Most measures demonstrated at least adequate content validity (n = 44), internal consistency (n = 34), and validity generalization (n = 45). Findings were mixed regarding interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and treatment sensitivity. Less than half of the measures (n = 22) exhibited adequate, good, or excellent construct validity.

CONCLUSIONS

Although use of adherence and self-management PROs is widespread across several pediatric conditions, few PROs achieved good or excellent ratings based on rigorous psychometric standards. Validation and replication studies with larger, more diverse samples are needed. Future research should consider the use of emerging technologies to enhance the feasibility of broad implementation.

Children and young people's concerns and needs relating to their use of health technology to self-manage long-term conditions: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The use of patient-facing health technologies to manage long-term conditions is increasing; however, children and young people may have particular concerns or needs before deciding to use different health technologies.

AIMS

To identify children and young people's reported concerns or needs in relation to using health technologies to self-manage long-term conditions.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO and CINAHL in February 2019. Searches were limited to papers published between January 2008 and February 2019. We included any health technology used to manage long-term conditions. A thematic synthesis of the data from the included studies was undertaken. We engaged children with long-term conditions (and parents) to support review design, interpretation of findings and development of recommendations.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight journal articles were included, describing concerns or needs expressed by n=970 children and/or young people aged 5-18 years. Most included studies were undertaken in high-income countries with children aged 11 years and older. Studies examined concerns with mobile applications (n=14), internet (n=9), social media (n=3), interactive online treatment programmes (n=3), telehealth (n=1), devices (n=3) or a combination (n=5). Children and young people's main concerns were labelling and identity; accessibility; privacy and reliability; and trustworthiness of information.

DISCUSSION

This review highlights important concerns that children and young people may have before using technology to self-manage their long-term condition. In future, research should involve children and young people throughout the development of technology, from identifying their unmet needs through to design and evaluation of interventions.

Impact of mobile applications on adherence to cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

INTRODUCTION

The number of patients taking oral chemotherapy is increasing around the world. It is essential to maximise the adherence to oral chemotherapy to improve the overall survival and life expectancy of the patients. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile applications in improving the adherence to oral chemotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy in cancer survivors.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, clinicaltrials.gov, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be searched for randomised or quasi-experimental studies published between January 2009 and July 2019. This systematic review and meta-analysis will include studies investigating the use of mobile applications by cancer survivors to aid adherence to oral chemotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy. Patient education, reminder tools, calendars, pillboxes and electronic reminders will not be evaluated. The primary outcome will be the improvement in adherence to anticancer drugs. The secondary outcomes will be an improvement in the overall survival and life expectancy, improved quality of life and control of cancer-related symptoms. Three independent reviewers will select the studies and extract data from the original publications. The risk-of-bias will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Data synthesis will be performed using the Review Manager software (RevMan V.5.2.3). To assess heterogeneity, we will compute the I2 statistics. Additionally, a quantitative synthesis will be performed if the included studies are sufficiently homogenous.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study will be a review of the published data, and thus, ethical approval is not required. Findings of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018102172.