Dataset Information

User Experiences and Preferences Regarding an App for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although several apps are available to support the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI), little has been reported about the experiences and preferences of their users.

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and preferences of women using a mobile app for the treatment of UI and to identify potential improvements to the app. We developed this app for three types of UI: stress UI, urgency UI, and mixed UI.

Methods

The participants in this qualitative study were women with self-reported stress UI, urgency UI, or mixed UI who used an app-based treatment to manage their condition for at least six weeks. Following the intervention, semistructured interviews were conducted to explore the participants' experiences and preferences regarding the app. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed separately by two researchers.

Results

Data saturation was reached after interviewing 9 women (aged 32-68 years) with stress UI (n=1, 11%), urgency UI (n=3, 33%), or mixed UI (n=5, 56%). Accessibility, awareness, usability, and adherence emerged as the main themes. On the one hand, participants appreciated that the app increased their accessibility to care, preserved their privacy, increased their awareness of therapeutic options, was easy to use and useful, and supported treatment adherence. On the other hand, some participants reported that they wanted more contact with a care provider, and others reported that using the app increased their awareness of symptoms.

Conclusions

This qualitative study indicates that women appreciate app-based treatment for UI because it can lower barriers to treatment and increase both awareness and adherence to treatment. However, the app does not offer the ability of face-to-face contact and can lead to a greater focus on symptoms.

SUBMITTER: Wessels NJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7320303 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

User Experiences and Preferences Regarding an App for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Qualitative Study.

Wessels Nienke J NJ Hulshof Lisa L Loohuis Anne M M AMM van Gemert-Pijnen Lisette L Jellema Petra P van der Worp Henk H Blanker Marco H MH

JMIR mHealth and uHealth 20200612 6

<h4>Background</h4>Although several apps are available to support the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI), little has been reported about the experiences and preferences of their users.<h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and preferences of women using a mobile app for the treatment of UI and to identify potential improvements to the app. We developed this app for three types of UI: stress UI, urgency UI, and mixed UI.<h4>Methods</h4>The participants in ...[more]

PMID: 32530431

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Project description:BackgroundStress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects 10%-39% of women. Its first-line treatment consists of lifestyle interventions and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), which can be performed supervised or unsupervised. Health apps are increasing in number and can be used to improve adherence to treatments. We developed the Tät app, which provides a 3-month treatment program with a focus on PFMT for women with SUI. The app treatment was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial, which demonstrated efficacy for improving incontinence symptoms and quality of life. In this qualitative interview study, we investigated participant experiences of the app-based treatment.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore women's experiences of using an app-based treatment program for SUI.MethodsThis qualitative study is based on telephone interviews with 15 selected women, with a mean age of 47 years, who had used the app in the previous randomized controlled trial. A semistructured interview guide with open-ended questions was used, and the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed according to the grounded theory.ResultsThe results were grouped into three categories: "Something new!" "Keeping motivation up!" and "Good enough?" A core category, "Enabling my independence," was identified. The participants appreciated having a new and modern way to access a treatment program for SUI. The use of new technology seemed to make incontinence treatment feel more prioritized and less embarrassing for the subjects. The closeness to their mobile phone and app features like reminders and visual graphs helped support and motivate the women to carry through the PFMT. The participants felt confident that they could perform the treatment program on their own, even though they expressed some uncertainty about whether they were doing the pelvic floor muscle contractions correctly. They felt that the app-based treatment increased their self-confidence and enabled them to take responsibility for their treatment.ConclusionsUse of the app-based treatment program for SUI empowered the women in this study and helped them self-manage their incontinence treatment. They appreciated the app as a new tool for supporting their motivation to carry through a slightly challenging PFMT program.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01848938; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01848938 (Archived by WebCite at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01848938).

Project description:BackgroundPerinatal depression affects a significant number of women during pregnancy and after birth, and early identification is imperative for timely interventions and improved prognosis. Mobile apps offer the potential to overcome barriers to health care provision and facilitate clinical research. However, little is known about users' perceptions and acceptability of these apps, particularly digital phenotyping and ecological momentary assessment apps, a relatively novel category of apps and approach to data collection. Understanding user's concerns and the challenges they experience using the app will facilitate adoption and continued engagement.ObjectiveThis qualitative study explores the experiences and attitudes of users of the Mom2B mobile health (mHealth) research app (Uppsala University) during the perinatal period. In particular, we aimed to determine the acceptability of the app and any concerns about providing data through a mobile app.MethodsSemistructured focus group interviews were conducted digitally in Swedish with 13 groups and a total of 41 participants. Participants had been active users of the Mom2B app for at least 6 weeks and included pregnant and postpartum women, both with and without depression symptomatology apparent in their last screening test. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated to English, and evaluated using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsFour themes were elicited: acceptability of sharing data, motivators and incentives, barriers to task completion, and user experience. Participants also gave suggestions for the improvement of features and user experience.ConclusionsThe study findings suggest that app-based digital phenotyping is a feasible and acceptable method of conducting research and health care delivery among perinatal women. The Mom2B app was perceived as an efficient and practical tool that facilitates engagement in research as well as allows users to monitor their well-being and receive general and personalized information related to the perinatal period. However, this study also highlights the importance of trustworthiness, accessibility, and prompt technical issue resolution in the development of future research apps in cooperation with end users. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on the usability and acceptability of mobile apps for research and ecological momentary assessment and underscores the need for continued research in this area.

Project description:BackgroundMany women experience urgency (UUI) and mixed (MUI) urinary incontinence but commonly hesitate to seek care. Treatment access and self-management for these conditions can be supported through eHealth approaches.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the mobile app Tät II for self-management of UUI and MUI in women.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial included women ≥18 years old with UUI or MUI and ≥2 leakages per week. Those with red-flag symptoms were excluded. Participants were recruited via analog and digital advertisements and screened for initial selection through a web-based questionnaire. Data were collected using another questionnaire and a 2-day bladder diary. A telephone interview confirmed the symptom diagnosis. Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive access to a treatment app (including pelvic floor muscle training, bladder training, psychoeducation, lifestyle advice, tailored advice, exercise log, reinforcement messages, and reminders) or an information app (control group), with no external treatment guidance provided. The primary outcome was incontinence symptoms at the 15-week follow-up, measured using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ)-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF). Urgency symptoms were assessed using the ICIQ-Overactive Bladder Module (ICIQ-OAB) and quality of life using the ICIQ-Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life Module (ICIQ-LUTSqol). Incontinence episode frequency (IEF) was calculated per bladder diary entries. Improvement was measured using the Patient's Global Impression of Improvement. All outcomes were self-reported. Cure was defined as no leakages per the bladder diary. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed.ResultsBetween April 2017 and March 2018, 123 women (mean age 58.3, SD 9.6 years) were randomized to the treatment (n=60, 2 lost to follow-up) or information (n=63) group. Of these, 35 (28%) women had UUI, and 88 (72%) had MUI. Mean ICIQ-UI SF score at follow-up was lower in the treatment group than in the information group (estimated difference -3.1, 95% CI -4.8 to -1.3). The estimated between-group difference was -1.8 (95% CI -2.8 to -0.99) for mean ICIQ-OAB score and -6.3 (95% CI -10.5 to -2.1) for the mean ICIQ-LUTSqol score at follow-up. IEF reduction from baseline to follow-up was greater in the treatment group (-10.5, IQR -17.5 to -3.5) than in the information group (P<.001). Improvement was reported by 87% (52/60) of treatment group participants and by 30% (19/63) of information group participants. The cure rate was 32% in the treatment group, and 6% in the information group (odds ratio 5.4, 95% CI 1.9-15.6; P=.002). About 67% (40/60) of the treatment group participants used the app more than thrice a week.ConclusionsThe treatment app was effective for improving urgency and mixed incontinence in women. When self-management is appropriate, this app may be a good alternative to pharmacological treatment or other conservative management, thus increasing access to care.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03097549; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03097549.

Dataset Information

User Experiences and Preferences Regarding an App for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Qualitative Study.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

User Experiences and Preferences Regarding an App for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Qualitative Study.

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