Development and validation of a mobile application for heart failure patients self-care.
Mailson Marques de Sousa, Camila Takáo Lopes, André Atanasio Maranhão Almeida and 3 others
PMID 36625659WHAT IT FOUND
A heart failure self-care app prototype was judged clear and appropriate by 6 nurses and 13 patients.
It tracks weight, symptoms, medicines and appointments, but was not tested for improved clinical outcomes.
Key findings
01Specialist nurses rated the app as superior educational material, with an overall checklist score of 88.4%.
02Patients with heart failure rated the prototype acceptable overall, with a total agreement score of 0.98; only the item about letter size fell below the agreement threshold.
03The prototype includes tracking for weight, symptoms, medicines, exams and appointments, and alerts the user to seek urgent care when three or more heart failure signs are checked.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study tested only expert and patient ratings of a prototype; it did not test whether patients used the app or whether self-care, hospitalizations or symptoms improved. Only six nurses evaluated the content and only thirteen patients rated the interface, all from one hospital service, so the findings may not represent other settings. All patients had completed high school and had smartphones, which may make the app seem easier to use than it would be for people with lower education or less digital access. The app was not implemented, registered or launched, and usability and efficiency testing were left for future research.
Declared interests
No funding or conflicts of interest are reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this app improves heart failure self-care or reduces hospitalizations. It was a prototype judged acceptable by 6 nurses and 13 patients; no patient use over time or clinical outcomes were tested.