JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Psoriasis is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation, increased scaling, itching and other symptoms. Psoriasis is not contagious, but patients often have the feeling of being shunned. Therefore, in addition to Psoriasis symptoms, stress, anxiety, and depression can also affect quality of life. Surveys showed that only a quarter of patients is satisfied with the success of their therapy. In addition to purely medical therapy, however, self-management can also make it easier to deal with chronic diseases like Psoriasis.

Objective:

The aim of this project was to develop a smartphone-based self-management tool (SMT) specifically for Psoriasis patients in a community-driven process. The SMT’s impact on quality of life was evaluated as well as acceptance and usability aspects.

Methods:

In collaboration with a self-help online community - the Psoriasis Network - two user surveys were carried on determining the requirements for a smartphone-based SMT. They consisted of a semi-structured questionnaire asking for the desired features of an SMT for Psoriasis and free-form feedback on mock-ups. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate quality of life, acceptance, and usability aspects. Community users were recruited to use the app for 21 days and complete the Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire (DLQI) at the beginning (T0) and end (T1) of the study. After using the app, participants were asked to complete another questionnaire on usability and ease of use.

Results:

The SMT is built as a progressive web app that communicates with a server backend and an Angular web app for content management. The app was used by 15 patients who also provided qualitative feedback. Ten participants answered all the questionnaires. The average DLQI was 7.1 ± 6.2 (T0) and 6.9 ± 6.6 (T1).

Conclusions:

The high degree of participation by the community in the development process and the responses during the requirement engineering indicate that there is a general need for independently developed SMT for Psoriasis patients. However, the feedback received after the app use shows that the SMT does not meet the needs of the community. It can be concluded that a more customizable app is needed. The focus and need of the users is very heterogeneous. To implement SMTs sustainably in care, they should be better integrated into the existing structures of care processes and medical practices. Direct data transmission to practitioners or further development of the SMT as an approved medical product are conceivable. Similar developments and research could benefit from this project’s findings.