Usability-Focused Development and Usage of NeoTree-Beta, an App for Newborn Care in a Low-Resource Neonatal Unit, Malawi.
agile
low resource
mHealth
mobile app
neonate
usability
user centred design
user experience
Journal
Frontiers in public health
ISSN: 2296-2565
Titre abrégé: Front Public Health
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101616579
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2022
2022
Historique:
received:
11
10
2021
accepted:
02
03
2022
entrez:
16
5
2022
pubmed:
17
5
2022
medline:
20
5
2022
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Neonatal mortality is high in low-resource settings. NeoTree is a digital intervention for neonatal healthcare professionals (HCPs) aiming to achieve data-driven quality improvement and improved neonatal survival in low-resource hospitals. Optimising usability with end-users could help digital health interventions succeed beyond pilot stages in low-resource settings. Usability is the quality of a user's experience when interacting with an intervention, encompassing their effectiveness, efficiency, and overall satisfaction. To evaluate the usability and usage of NeoTree beta-app and conduct Agile usability-focused intervention development. A real-world pilot of NeoTree beta-app was conducted over 6 months at Kamuzu Central Hospital neonatal unit, Malawi. Prior to deployment, think-aloud interviews were conducted to guide nurses through the app whilst voicing their thoughts aloud ( Twelve overarching usability themes generated 57 app adjustments, 39 (68%) from think aloud analysis and 18 (32%) from the real-world testing. A total of 21 usability themes/issues with corresponding app features were produced and added to the app. Six themes relating to data collection included exhaustiveness of data schema, prevention of errors, ease of progression, efficiency of data entry using shortcuts, navigation of user interface (UI), and relevancy of content. Six themes relating to the clinical care included cohesion with ward process, embedded education, locally coherent language, adaptability of user-interface to available resources, and printout design to facilitate handover. SUS scores were above average (88.1 and 89.4 at 1 and 6 months, respectively). Ninety-three different HCPs of 5 cadres, recorded 1,323 admissions and 1,197 outcomes over 6 months. NeoTree achieved 100% digital coverage of sick neonates admitted. Median completion times were 16 and 8 min for admissions and outcomes, respectively. This study demonstrates optimisation of a digital health app in a low-resource setting and could inform other similar usability studies apps in similar settings.
Sections du résumé
Background
Neonatal mortality is high in low-resource settings. NeoTree is a digital intervention for neonatal healthcare professionals (HCPs) aiming to achieve data-driven quality improvement and improved neonatal survival in low-resource hospitals. Optimising usability with end-users could help digital health interventions succeed beyond pilot stages in low-resource settings. Usability is the quality of a user's experience when interacting with an intervention, encompassing their effectiveness, efficiency, and overall satisfaction.
Objective
To evaluate the usability and usage of NeoTree beta-app and conduct Agile usability-focused intervention development.
Method
A real-world pilot of NeoTree beta-app was conducted over 6 months at Kamuzu Central Hospital neonatal unit, Malawi. Prior to deployment, think-aloud interviews were conducted to guide nurses through the app whilst voicing their thoughts aloud (
Results
Twelve overarching usability themes generated 57 app adjustments, 39 (68%) from think aloud analysis and 18 (32%) from the real-world testing. A total of 21 usability themes/issues with corresponding app features were produced and added to the app. Six themes relating to data collection included exhaustiveness of data schema, prevention of errors, ease of progression, efficiency of data entry using shortcuts, navigation of user interface (UI), and relevancy of content. Six themes relating to the clinical care included cohesion with ward process, embedded education, locally coherent language, adaptability of user-interface to available resources, and printout design to facilitate handover. SUS scores were above average (88.1 and 89.4 at 1 and 6 months, respectively). Ninety-three different HCPs of 5 cadres, recorded 1,323 admissions and 1,197 outcomes over 6 months. NeoTree achieved 100% digital coverage of sick neonates admitted. Median completion times were 16 and 8 min for admissions and outcomes, respectively.
Conclusions
This study demonstrates optimisation of a digital health app in a low-resource setting and could inform other similar usability studies apps in similar settings.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35570891
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.793314
pmc: PMC9096438
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
793314Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 Crehan, Chiume, Mgusha, Dinga, Hull-Bailey, Normand, Sassoon, Nkhoma, Greenwood, Lorencatto, Lakhanpaul and Heys.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
CN was employed by Spinspire Consultants. KG acquired her Agile certification from ICAgile but was not employed by ICAgile at the time of this work. YS was employed by Snowplow Analytics. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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