Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Jan 22, 2026
Date Accepted: Sep 24, 2026
On-demand preventive health care: Evaluating the User Experience of a Canadian Health Prevention Web App, a Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Amid the current primary care crisis, Canadians are increasingly turning to online resources, where misinformation is common. Launched in 2023, the web app Icanbewell provides free, evidence-based prevention information for the public and healthcare providers.
Objective:
To evaluate the user experience with the Icanbewell webapp.
Methods:
The design was a cross sectional survey. The setting was online, in Canada. Participants of the study included members of the public aged 18 and over and health care providers in Canada, with internet access. An 11-item online survey was made available within the Icanbewell app from 08 July 2024 to 07 August 2025. It invited users to rate their satisfaction with the app, suggest improvements, and describe what they learned from it. The Likert-scale question was analyzed using summary statistics, and qualitative content analysis was used for the short-answer questions.
Results:
Of the 69 users who responded to the Icanbewell survey, 80% were satisfied with the app, 9% were dissatisfied, and 10% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Chi-squared analyses and Fisher’s Exact tests (p = 0.05) revealed no significant differences in user satisfaction by user gender, respondent status (public or provider), preferred language, or attachment to primary care provider. Sixty-seven (67%) of respondents provided suggestions to improve the Icanbewell app by optimizing the interface and adding medical content beyond prevention. Lastly, 42% respondents indicated that they learned new information from using the Icanbewell app, including Canadian prevention guideline specifics, how to access various health resources, and general medical information on health and symptoms.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated high user satisfaction and engagement with the app. Subsequent work should prioritize gathering feedback from healthcare providers, unattached individuals, and younger communities. Future involvement of patient partners in design and evaluation will be important to ensure app inclusivity and relevance.
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