Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: May 8, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: May 12, 2018 - Jul 7, 2018
Date Accepted: Dec 30, 2018
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Development of a Smartphone App for Informal Carers of People With Cancer: Processes and Learnings
Background:
There are few support systems available to informal carers who provide care to cancer patients. Smartphone apps have the capacity to reach large audiences and can provide information and support at a time convenient to carers.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to design a smartphone app prototype for carers of adults with cancer.
Methods:
A multiple-method design was used to develop a smartphone app. Current and past carers of people with any type of cancer were recruited from a public hospital, a private hospital, and a carer organization, who participated in either a focus group or phone interview. Carers answered questions about items to include in an app to address supportive care needs identified. Using carers’ feedback, a smartphone app was designed and tested. Beta testing was conducted using a convenience sample of participants who completed scenarios to inform the app’s design, functionality, and usability. Scenarios were timed and marked as complete or incomplete. Participants completed a questionnaire about the usability of the app. Beta testing occurred in 2 stages—a paper-based version of the app and an app-based test using the participants’ preferred device. Alpha testing was completed internally to ensure the functionality of the app. Data were collected between May 2016 and August 2017.
Results:
A total of 33 carers participated in phone interviews and 12 in focus groups; their average age was 55 (SD 14) years, and 60% (27/45) were female. The majority of carers (76%, 25/33) had a positive attitude toward using smartphone apps. Carers noted that smartphone technology might improve their ability to seek information and support in managing their own health as well as the care needs of the person with cancer. Carers requested a variety of information and resources to be included in the app. Paper-based testing included the following: participants (N=10) were aged above 30 years (30%, 3/10), 30 to 49 years (30%, 3/10), and 50 years or above (40%, 4/10), and 60% (6/10) were male. Participants found the app user-friendly and pleasing in appearance. App-based testing included the following: participants (N=10) were aged above 30 years (20%, 2/10), 30 to 49 years (30%, 3/10), and 50 years or above (50%, 5/10), and 50% (5/10) were male. Participants reported the app to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. The majority (60%, 6/10) of participants were unable to create a shortcut icon to add the app to the home screen of their phone.
Conclusions:
Carers highlighted the needed information and support to assist them during the caring period; they also reported having a positive attitude toward smartphone apps. The Carer Guide App is currently undergoing a pilot study to further test usability among carers of people with 1 cancer type.
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.