Usability of a mobile phone application to enhance activities of daily living in occupational therapy services for breast cancer survivors.
Dulce Romero-Ayuso, Raquel García-López, Carmen Lozano-Villena and 6 others
PMID 38027046WHAT IT FOUND
Twenty-nine breast cancer survivors rated the MAIA app 63 out of 100 for usability after one month.
The app lets occupational therapists send activity advice, but the app study measured usability only.
Key findings
01In 78 women with breast cancer, 80% reported difficulty with sleep and rest, and 58% reported difficulty with functional mobility.
02Twenty-nine women tested MAIA for one month and gave a mean usability score of 63 on a 0 to 100 scale.
03MAIA lets occupational therapists view patient-reported clinical status and activity difficulties, then send personalized recommendations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was intentional and not random, so it may not represent all women with breast cancer. The studies were done in Spain, and participants needed access to social networks. Terminal patients were excluded, so the findings may not apply to people with advanced disease. The usability pilot included only 29 women and lasted one month. The app was tested on preproduction testing servers, not a live service. There was no comparison group, randomisation, or longer follow-up to test whether MAIA changed daily function, symptoms, or occupational performance. The paper does not report whether symptoms or activity scores improved after the one-month test. The authors note the usability score could be improved, and they suggest longer use may change learnability scores.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support for the research, authorship, or publication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 63 usability score as evidence that MAIA improves activities of daily living. The app study measured how users rated the app after one month, not whether it changed function, symptoms, or occupational performance.