User experience of a self-management WeChat applet for patients with neurogenic bladder: A qualitative approach.
Chun Zhao, Surui Liang, Xiaojiao Wang and 6 others
PMID 36860717WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with neurogenic bladder found a WeChat applet easy to use for learning, voiding diaries, and contacting staff.
They also wanted family access. Barriers were low confidence, older age, and privacy or emergency worries.
Key findings
01Patients described the applet as clear, easy to operate, and flexible for learning through text, pictures, and videos.
02Patients valued the electronic voiding diary and online consultation as easier record keeping and a direct route to professional advice.
03Barriers included older adults' discomfort with the applet and worry that online consultation might delay urgent care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only patients who could use a smartphone were included, so the findings may not apply to patients without digital access or with severe cognitive or medical impairment. Only 19 patients were interviewed, and they came from two hospitals in Shenzhen, China, so the experiences may not transfer to other settings. The study measured perceived usability and barriers, not bladder symptoms, urinary tract infections, catheterization practice, complications, or self-management outcomes. Family caregivers were not interviewed, although the paper identifies them as important users. Three recruited patients could not be contacted for interview and two refused, so some recruited experiences were not captured.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the Science and Technology Project of Shenzhen (grant JCYJ20210324142406016). The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the WeChat applet improves bladder self-management or prevents complications. The study only interviewed 19 patients about their experience after a two week free trial, and it measured perceived benefits and barriers, not clinical outcomes.