Coproduction and Usability of a Smartphone App for Falls Reporting in Parkinson Disease.
Jill Wales, Jason Moore, Jenni Naisby and 7 others
PMID 37369034WHAT IT FOUND
Thirteen people with Parkinson disease tested a new app for logging falls over six months.
They found it easy to use and preferred it to paper diaries, especially because they could type or speak instead of write. It helped some spot fall patterns, but not all.
Key findings
01Participants rated the app's usability as good, with a mean System Usability Scale score of 75.8.
02The app was valued because it allowed users to record falls immediately and avoided the handwriting difficulties associated with paper diaries.
03While some participants used the app to identify fall patterns and hazards, others found it difficult to spot patterns or felt the categories were too restrictive.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (n=13), so the results cannot be generalized to the wider PD population. All participants were already smartphone users, so the study did not test the app with those who are digitally excluded or less confident with technology. The app was only available on Android, which limited recruitment and may have affected usability for iPhone users. Participants were not required to be fallers, so some may have had limited engagement with the core purpose of the app. There was no control group, so it is impossible to say if the app actually improved fall outcomes or reduced falls compared to standard care.
Declared interests
The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding. The funder played no role in the design, conduct, or reporting of the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this app reduces falls. The study tested usability and acceptability, not efficacy. There was no control group, and the primary outcome was how easy the app was to use, not whether patients fell less. Also, do not assume it works for all patients; the study only included people who were already confident smartphone users.