Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Feb 7, 2024
Open Peer Review Period: Feb 7, 2024 - Apr 3, 2024
Date Accepted: Jul 3, 2024
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Complementary App-based Yoga Home Exercise Therapy for patients with axial Spondyloarthritis: A Usability Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Axial spondyloarthritis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized by potentially disabling inflammation of the spine and adjacent joints. Regular exercise is a cornerstone of treatment. However, AS patients currently have little support. YogiTherapy is an app developed to support AS patients by providing instructions for yoga-based home exercise therapy.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and acceptance of the newly designed YogiTherapy app for patients with AS.
Methods:
Patients completed the uMARS (User Version of the Mobile App Rating Scale) and NPS (Net Promoter Score) questionnaires after app introduction. Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney rank sum test, Chi-squared test for count data, and correlation analysis were conducted to examine the user-friendliness of the app, acceptance, and patient characteristics.
Results:
A total of 65 AS patients (51% female, average age 43.3 ± 13.6 years) were included in the study. Usability was rated high, with a mean uMARS of 3.35 ± 0.47 points on a scale from 0 to 5. The highest-rated uMARS dimension was information (mean 3.88 ± 0.63), followed by functionality (mean 3.84 ± 0.87). Females reported a significantly higher uMARS app quality mean score than males (3.47 ± 0.48 vs. 3.23 ± 0.45; p=0.03). Mean average of the NPS was 6.23 ± 2.64 points [on a scale from 0-10], based on 40% non-promoters, 38.5% indifferent and 13.8% promoters. The NPS showed a positive correlation with the usage of mobile application (r=0.39; p=0.02). uMARS functionality was significantly higher rated by younger patients < 41 years old (4.17 ± 0.55 vs. 3.54 ± 1; p<0.05). Patients considering health applications as useful reported higher uMARS (r=0.38, p=0.02).
Conclusions:
The results revealed moderate acceptance and usability ratings prompting further app improvement. Significant differences were observed between different patient groups suggesting a potential digital divide based on patient’s profile that warrant further research.
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