Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37751285›Full record

ArticleJMIR cancer2023

User-Centered Development of a Mobile App to Assess the Quality of Life of Patients With Cancer: Iterative Investigation and Usability Testing.

Chantal N L Beutter, Katharina Zeller, Uwe M Martens, Bettina Pfleiderer, Christian Fegeler

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR cancer, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Chantal N L BeutterMOLIT Institute gGmbH, Heilbronn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-0911-7136
Katharina ZellerMOLIT Institute gGmbH, Heilbronn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6535-8690
Uwe M MartensMOLIT Institute gGmbH, Heilbronn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7999-4359
Bettina Pfleiderer *Clinic for Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-1238-6225
Christian Fegeler *MOLIT Institute gGmbH, Heilbronn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5581-7155
University of Münster · DEHeilbronn University · DESLK-Kliniken Heilbronn · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe treatment for cancer can have a negative impact not only on physical well-being but also on mental health and the quality of life (QoL). Health apps enable the monitoring of different parameters, but to date, there are only few that support patients with cancer and none that focuses on the assessment of QoL. Furthermore, patients as stakeholders are often only integrated at the late stage of the development process, if at all.

objectiveThe aim of this research was to develop and evaluate a smartphone app (Lion-App) to enable patients with cancer to autonomously measure the QoL with an iterative, user-centered approach.

methodsPatients with cancer were involved in a 3-stage process from conceptualization to the point when the app was available on the tester's private device. First, focus groups with members (N=21) of cancer support groups were conducted to understand their expectations and needs. Thereafter, individual tests were performed. After developing a prototype that incorporated findings from the focus groups, a second test cycle was conducted, followed by a beta test lasting 2 months. In our app, the QoL can be assessed via a patient diary and an integrated questionnaire. Through all stages, usability was evaluated using the modular extended version of the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ+), including the calculation of a key performance indicator (KPI). If possible, the impact of sex on the results was evaluated. As part of the beta test, usage rates as well as age-dependent differences were also assessed.

resultsA total of 21 participants took part in the initial 3 focus groups. In the subsequent usability testing (N=18), 17 (94%) participants rated their impression through the UEQ+, with a mean KPI of 2.12 (SD 0.64, range: -3 to 3). In the second usability test (N=14), the mean KPI increased to 2.28 (SD=0.49). In the beta test, the usage rate of 19 participants was evaluated, of whom 14 (74%) also answered the UEQ+ (mean KPI 1.78, SD 0.84). An influence of age on the number of questionnaire responses in Lion-App was observed, with a decrease in responses with increasing age (P=.02). Sex-dependent analyses were only possible for the first usability test and the beta test. The main adjustments based on user feedback were a restructuring of the diary as well as integration of a shorter questionnaire to assess the QoL.

conclusionsThe iterative, user-centered approach for development and usability testing resulted in positive evaluations of Lion-App. Our app was rated as suitable for everyday use to monitor the QoL of patients with cancer. Initial results indicated that the sex and age of participants seem to play only a minor role.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsNeoplasmsQuality of LifeUser-Centered DesignAdultAgedFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and Questionnairescancerdesigndevelopmentmental healthmHealthmobile healthmonitoringpatient empowermentphysical well-beingquality of lifeusabilityuseruser centereduser-centered designwell-being

Identifiers

PMID37751285
PMCPMC10565618
OpenAlexW4386147932

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.