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Visual and personalized quality of life assessment app for people with severe mental health problems: Qualitative evaluation
Buitenweg,D. van de Mheen,D. Grund,J. P. C. van Oers,J. A. M. van Nieuwenhuizen,Ch.
Buitenweg,D.
van de Mheen,D.
Grund,J. P. C.
van Oers,J. A. M.
van Nieuwenhuizen,Ch.
Abstract
Background: QoL-ME is a digital visual personalized quality of life assessment app for people with severe mental health problems. Research reveals that e-mental health apps frequently suffer from low engagement and fall short of expectations regarding their impact on patients' daily lives. Studies often indicate that e-mental health apps ought to respect the needs and preferences of end users to achieve optimal user engagement. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of users regarding the usability and functionality of QoL-ME and whether the app is actionable and beneficial for patients. Methods: End users (n=8) of QoL-ME contributed to semistructured interviews. An interview guide was used to direct the interviews. All interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcriptions were analyzed and coded thematically. Results: Analysis revealed 3 main themes: (1) benefit, (2) actionability, and (3) characteristics of the QoL-ME. The first theme reveals that the QoL-ME app was beneficial for the majority of respondents, primarily by prompting them to reflect on their quality of life. The current version is not yet actionable; the actionability of the QoL-ME app may be improved by enabling users to view their scores over time and by supplying practical advice for quality of life improvements. Overall, participants had positive experiences with the usability, design, and content of the app. Conclusions: The QoL-ME app can be beneficial to users as it provides them with insight into their quality of life and elicits reflection. Incorporating more functionalities that facilitate self-management, such as advice and strategies for improving areas that are lacking, will likely make the app actionable. Patients positively regarded the usability, design, and contents of the QoL-ME app.
Description
This work is part of the research program—Quality of Life and Health (project number 319-20-005)—which is financed by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research).
Date
2020
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Research Projects
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Keywords
CARE, HOMELESS PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, PATIENT INVOLVEMENT, SCHIZOPHRENIA, SIZE, SMARTPHONE APPS, assessment app, e-mental health, qualitative evaluation, quality of life, visual assessment
Citation
Buitenweg, D, van de Mheen, D, Grund, J P C, van Oers, J A M & van Nieuwenhuizen, C 2020, 'Visual and personalized quality of life assessment app for people with severe mental health problems : Qualitative evaluation', JMIR Mental Health, vol. 7, no. 12, e19593. https://doi.org/10.2196/19593