Experiences of Using a Self-management Mobile App Among Individuals With Heart Failure: Qualitative Study.
Myra Schmaderer, Jennifer N Miller, Elizabeth Mollard
PMID 34406966WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with heart failure described using a self-management app as helping them notice weight and medication changes, feel more in charge, and speak up with providers.
The study did not prove the app improved health.
Key findings
01Participants described the app as helping them notice daily changes in weight, medication, and vital signs.
02Participants described feeling more hopeful and more in charge after using the app.
03Participants described the app as helping them speak up with providers and bring organized health information to care interactions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was purposive and convenient, and only the first 10 patients who responded to phone calls were interviewed, so it may not represent less engaged patients. This was a qualitative study of experiences, so it cannot show that the app improved heart failure outcomes. Participants came from different app arms, and the nurse practitioner and community health worker virtual visits were not evaluated, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. Saturation was determined after 7 participants, but 3 more were included because interviews were already scheduled. The study was conducted at a major academic institution and required English language ability and access to a phone or tablet, so it may not apply to patients without these resources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the positive experiences as proof that the app improves heart failure outcomes. This study only interviewed 10 patients about their experience, and the nurse practitioner virtual visits were not evaluated.