JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The fastest-growing neurological disorder globally is Parkinson’s Disease (PD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects ten million people worldwide. PD is typically treated with Leva-Dopa: an oral pill taken to increase dopamine levels, and other dopaminergic agonists. However, as the disease progresses, the effects of the drug wane and adherence to this method is typically poor and does not provide meaningful information. Therefore, remote monitoring systems that can provide more detailed and accurate information of a patient’s condition regularly are a valuable tool for clinicians and patients to manage their medication. The Parkinson’s Remote Interactive Monitoring System (PRIMS), developed by PragmaClin Research Inc., was designed on the premise that it will be an easy-to-use digital system which can accurately quantify motor and non-motor symptoms of PD remotely.

Objective:

We conducted a usability evaluation to determine the ease of use of PRIMS and whether this product has appropriate functionality for users.

Methods:

Participants were recruited from a user sign-up online database owned by PragmaClin Research Inc. Eleven participants were included in the study based on the following criteria: (1) diagnosed with PD, and (2) not diagnosed with dementia or any other comorbidities that would increase the risk of study participation (e.g., osteoporosis). Patient users completed a questionnaire that is based on the Movement Disorder Society revision of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Interviews and field notes were analyzed for underlying themes.

Results:

Thematic analysis of the observer’s notes revealed six central themes associated with the usability and functionality of the PRIMS system. These are: (1) automated voice prompts are confusing, (2) the small camera is problematic, (3) the motor test is particular on positioning, (4) the system poses mobility challenges, (5) navigating the system is difficult, and (6) the motor test is glitchy. Thematic analysis of qualitative interview responses revealed four central themes associated with the PRIMS system which were: (1) Admiration, (2) System Sensitivity, (3) Video Instruction, and (4) Written Instructions.

Conclusions:

Although multiple areas of improvement were identified, most of the participants were fond of the overarching objective of PRIMS. This feedback is being used to upgrade the current PRIMS so that it aligns more with patients’ needs.